Page 103 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Puncture Vine, Tribulus

terrestris (ZYGOPYHYLLACEAE)

PUNCTURE VINE, also known as Goathead, Caltrop,
and Bindii, is a summer annual, invasive vine. Puncture
Vine has naturalized around the world, and has adapted
to dry climates where few other plants can survive.
FLOWER: Bright lemon-yellow flowers are solitary
on short stalks from leaf axils. Each flower has five 0.5
inches (1.3cm) wide petals. The fruit is a hard-spiny bud
with an almost circular shape. Each bur has 2 spines and
2 to 5 seeds.
LEAF: Green to reddish-brown, hairy stems are pros-
trate, and radiate from the crown to a diameter of 4 KEY MEDICINAL USES: The seed is used for blood
inches to over 3 ft. (10 cm-1m). Bright green, opposite sugar, heart health, and to boost libido.
leaves are evenly pinnate, divided into pairs of 4-8 oval HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Young leaves are eat-
0.5 inches (1.3cm) leaflets. A line of hairs lines the main en as a green. Older leaves, fruit, and young shoots
vein of each leaf, and border the smooth margins of each are cooked. The hard seeds are ground into a powder
leaf. Puncture Vine may be mistaken for Potentilla an- and used for baking into bread.
serina (Silverweed), which has deeply serrated leaves.
PUNCTURE VINE GREENS: Boil a handful of young,
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves, young shoots, fruit, seeds tender greens in water and mix with salt and chilis.

Purple Poppy-Mallow, Callirhoe
involucrata (MALVACEAE)

PURPLE POPPY-MALLOW, also known as Wine cup
and Buffalo Rose, is native to the United States and
northern Mexico. It frequently grows in dry, rocky, well
drained soils in fields, prairies, and along roadsides in
full sun. Unlike other members of the Malvaceae family,
is mat forming.
FLOWER: Flowers grow on stalks up to 8 inches (20cm)
tall, in leaf axils. Upward facing, cup-shaped, poppy-like,
magenta flowers appear on thin stems above the foliage
from mid-spring to fall. Flowers measure up to 2.5 inch- Jean-Pol Grandmont, CC-BY-SA-3.0
es (5cm) wide. Numerous stamens are united at the top
properties and tooth care. Dried roots crushed,
of a central column, typical for mallow species. The fruit
burned and inhaled for colds. It is believed the smoke
is a schizocarp less than 1 inch (2.5cm) long and wide.
can reduce pain to arms and legs. A tea made from
Seeds are flattened, kidney-shaped with short hairy
roots is used for intestinal pain.
breaks. Each contains a single seed.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Harvest young leaves
LEAF: Leaves are bright green, alternate, deeply lobed,
and eat raw or cooked as a green. Dig up the root and
palmate and grow to 6-12 inches (15-30cm) high on thin
boil or roast until tender.
stems, growing in patches up to 3 ft. (1m) in diameter.
BOILED PURPLE POPPY-MALLOW ROO: Cut roots
Leaves typically have 5-7 lobes.
into chunks and boil until tender. Remove outer rind
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves and root
and enjoy!
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Sticks chewed for antibiotic

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