Practical
Plants

Najas graminea

an annual member of the Najas genus in the family Najadaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Najas
Life cycle
annual
Fertility
Water
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Water

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Two reports say that the plant is edible but give no more details[1][3]. The reports probably refer to the leaves[K].

Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
S. Europe to E. Asia. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
Rice fields and ditches[6]. Found in one pond in Britain that is warmed by industrial outflow[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
aquatic
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in situ as soon as it is ripe if this is possible. Otherwise store the seed in water in a cool place and sow in situ in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A water plant, succeeding in shallow fresh or brackish water[4]. This is one of the few genera of plants where fertilization takes place under the surface of the water[5].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  5. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

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  6. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

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