Practical
Plants

Spergula arvensis

Corn Spurrey

an annual member of the Spergula genus in the family Caryophyllaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
0.5 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Flies, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Flies, Self

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

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

The seed, and probably also the leaves, contain saponins[1]. Although toxic, these substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is advisable not to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Edible uses

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

Leaves and young plants[1]. No more details are given. Seed - cooked. It can be dried and ground into a meal then used with flour for making bread etc[5][8][2]. The seed is rich in oil[1]. A famine food, it is only used when all else fails[4]. The seed contains saponins so some caution is advised. See the notes above on toxicity.

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

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

The plant has been used as a diuretic[7].

Product or use
Diuretic

Environment

Range
An almost cosmopolitan plant, found in most regions of the world, including Britain.
Habitat
Arable land, often as a troublesome weed[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ. Some seed germinates in the autumn in the wild while some germinates in the spring.

Cultivation

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

Prefers a sandy lime-free soil[6] and a sunny position. A calcifuge plant, requiring a neutral to acid soil[3]. The flowers are only open in the morning.

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-090-x

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

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

    ↩

  7. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  8. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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