Showing posts with label Oil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oil. Show all posts

Glasswort

Scientific Name(s): Salicornia bigelovii
Abundance: rare
What: whole plant; oil extracted from seeds
How: raw
Where: coastal beaches
When: spring, summer, fall, winter
Nutritional Value: salt, assorted vitamins, calories from seed oil
Dangers: raw seeds contain toxic saponins and should not be eaten whole.

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are reduced to small scales and appear to be absent, with the stem appearing jointed.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are scale-like, closely appressed to the stem, and not distinct from the stem segments, resulting in a tubular appearance.

Leaf Venation: There is no distinct venation due to the reduced size and form of the leaves.

Leaf Margin: Margins are not discernible in the scale-like leaves.

Leaf Color: The color of the stem and scale-like leaves ranges from green to reddish-green, depending on environmental conditions.

Flower Structure: Flowers are tiny, often going unnoticed, and embedded in the stem at the joints. They are arranged in groups of three in each segment.

Flower Color: The flowers are inconspicuous, blending with the color of the stem.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, one-seeded capsule.

Seed: The seed is small, enclosed within the capsule.

Stem: The stem is succulent, jointed, and appears segmented, giving an elongted bead-like appearance.

Hairs: There are no hairs on the stem or scale-like leaves.

Height: The plant typically grows to a height of about 4 to 12 inches, often sprawling or forming dense mats.

Glasswort along the beach.
Glasswort

Glasswort

Glasswort1

Closer view.
Glasswort3

Another view. As Glasswort ages it turns reddish in color.
Glasswort4

Old, dried-up glasswort looks like small stalagmites.
Glasswort

Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.
SandwortTXMap

North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.
GlasswortNorAm 2

Looking like some alien lifeform, Glasswort adds an interesting appearance to coastal beaches. Some say it's name comes from the sound it makes when stepped upon as it cracks like breaking glass. However, the burned ashes of Glasswort were used as a flux in glassmaking, lowering the temperature needed to melt sand into glass so I think that's where the name came from. Glasswort has the amazing ability to grow even when watered with salty sea water.

The young, tender tips of Glasswort are eaten raw in salads or even just as a snack on the beach. As the plant matures these stems turn reddish and woody. Boiling the pinkish woody stems may give you a bit of tender, edible outer sheath with a more inedible woody core.

The seeds contain a coating of toxic saponins and can not be eaten raw or cooked. However, the oil pressed from these seeds is quite edible, tasty, and useful as a cooking oil.

The ashes left after burning Glasswort are high in mineral content including salt and are used to flavor foods.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Sunflower - Wild

Scientific name: Helianthus annuus
Abundance: plentiful
What: young flowers, seeds
How: seeds can be eaten raw, ground into flour, roasted, or crushed for sunflower oil, the shells can be roasted then used as a coffee substitute; young flowers are boiled
Where: Sunny areas, ditches, abandoned yards
When: Seeds ripen in late summer, early fall
Nutritional Value: carbohydrates, protein and oils

Leaf Arrangement: Opposite at the base of the stem but alternating at the top; leaves can measure up to 12 inches long.

Leaf Shape: Ovate to heart-shaped with a pointed tip, typically 6 inches wide and 12 inches long.

Leaf Venation: Pinnate, with a prominent central vein from which smaller veins branch out.

Leaf Margin: Serrated or toothed, with small, sharp teeth along the edge.

Leaf Color: Bright green, with a rough texture to the touch.

Flower Structure: Composite - what looks like one flower is actually composed of many ray (single long, yellow petal) and disc (small, dark) flowers. Flower heads grow to be about 3 inches in diameter.

Flower Color: Bright yellow petals (ray florets) surrounding a dark brown to purple central disc.

Fruit: The fruit is an achene, about 1/4 inch long and 1/8 inch wide.

Seed: Tiny, with a tear-dropped shape and black or striped hulls.

Stem: Sturdy, hairy stem that can grow over 10 feet tall. Green or yellowish, often with small, dark spots.

Hairs: Stiff, bristly hairs cover the stem and leaf surfaces.

Height: Can reach heights of 6 to 10 feet, depending on the variety and growing conditions.


Wild sunflowers
SunBig

Close-up of flower with immature seeds.
SunFront

Back of sunflower.
SunBack

Sunflower leaves ranging from 2" to 6" in length.
SunLeaf1
SunLeaf2

Close-up of stem. Both leaves and stem have fine hairs.
SunStem

Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.
SunflowerTX

North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Sunflower

Running rampant just about any sunny place mankind has torn up soil, the tall, gangly sunflowers seem to thrive in every wasteland. The flowers are much small flowers, only 2-3 inches across, are plentiful on each thick, tall stalk.

The young flower buds, when green and before they've opened, are quite good when boiled until tender then served with butter. I'll also add the young flower buds to stews and curries. The mature seeds are an excellent source of high-calorie oil which birds and other animals love. Humans can eat them, too but they are very small and generally aren't worth the effort to gather.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

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