Transcript Watercress (Nasturtium officinale L.)

Watercress
(Nasturtium officinale L.)
Family: Brassicaceae (brass-ih-KAY-see-ee) From the Latin brassica
indicating the cabbage family. It was previously in the Cruciferae family from
the four petals which formed a cross. Alternative Pronunciation: brass-ihKAY-see-ay
Genus: Rorippa (ro-RIP-uh) From a Latinized Saxon (German) word
rorippen which was first mentioned by Euricius Cordus.
Species: nasturtium-aquaticum (nas-STUR-shum a-KWA-ti-kum) From
the Latin nasus tortus (twisted nose, referring to its pungent taste and the
sharp, peppery smell of the seeds) and aquaticum, referring to its natural
habitat of in or near water.
Synonym: Nasturtium officinale "Officinale" is Latin for "of the shops",
meaning that it was at one time an official herb or drug.
Watercress
Water cress owes its aroma to isothiocyanates which
are formed from glucosinolates which react to being
injuried.
Watercress
Watercress is native to Europe. In Altona
Forest it is found as a tangle of stems
and leaves growing in cold, flowing
water of Petticoat Creek near the
parking lot.
A 1954 drawing of Petticoat Creek
here and remove this picture.
Watercress
Its tiny white
flowers float on
stems just above
the water. The
plant has a
pleasant
peppery taste
but it can be
unsafe to
consume wild
plants because
of contaminated
water.
The small white flowers, 5-7 mm long, appear above
the water from April through October. Each flower
has 4 white petals which are clustered at the ends of
the stems on short stalks.
Watercress
Young leaves are simple
but older leaves are
pinnately compound,
with each consisting
of a central stalk and
3 to 11 smooth or
wavy-edged, oval or
lance-shaped
leaflets.
The leaves have a
strong peppery
taste. The leaf is
about 4 to 12 cm
long. The leaves
often remain green
in autumn and
winter, but
sometimes turn
purple.
Watercress
The stems are
green and
succulent.
The stems are
trailing, fleshy
and 10-60 cm
long. It is
upright at the
ends but
breaks easily.
Roots form at the
lower nodes.
Watercress
The fruit is thin, slightly curved, 11-19 mm x 1.9-2.7 mm cylindrical pods
which are about 2 mm wide. They are held on stalks of 7-12 mm
long. The small seeds are round and arranged in four rows inside
the pods.
The root are thin and fibrous.
Watercress, which has a peppery taste with high concentrations of
vitamins and minerals, has been used in salads since at least
Roman times. In 1750 it was grown commercially in Germany. It is
still used in salads as well as in sandwiches, soups and oriental stirfry dishes.. Ducks and deer enjoy eating it.
Watercress should not be eaten from Petticoat Creek as it may contain
parasites or pollutants.
Watercress
Watercress
often grows
in a large
mat of
plants.
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