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Useful Tropical Plants

Gunnera apiculata

Schindl.

Gunneraceae

+ Synonyms

Gunnera chilensis A.DC. pro parte

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Gunnera apiculata is a stemless, herbaceous, perennial plant growing from a stout rhizome; it produces a cluster of large leaves around 60 - 100cm wide on petioles around 10 - 30cm long and 6mm in diameter[
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its large leaves and ability to thrive in wet soils[
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
]. The plant has potential for use in soil stabilization and restoration projects[
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 

Range

Western S. America - northwest Argentina, Bolivia

Habitat

; at elevations from 2,340 - 3,800 metres[
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.80 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details



It is believed that species of the genus Gunnera have existed for about 95 million years[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
Gunnera species are unique in the plant realm through having a symbiotic relationship with a cyanobacteria (Nostoc punctiforme and others). This relationship provides nitrogen to the Gunnera and carbon to the cyanobacteria[
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
]. The genus Nostoc is cosmopolitan and common, so it is likely to be naturally present in the wet habitats in which Gunnera grows[
1093
Title
Invasive Species Compendium
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.cabi.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc).
,
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
].

Edible Uses

The leaf stem is peeled and eaten[
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
]. Refreshing[
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Gunnera species have a high potential for use in the recovery of lands affected by erosion, given their condition as colonizing plants that are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen through symbiosis with the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiform[
1922
Title
Gunneraceae
Publication
Flora Neotropica Monograph 109
Author
Mora-Osejo L.E., Pabón-Mora N. & González F.
Publisher
The New York Botanical Garden Press; New York
Year
2011
ISBN
978-0-89327-508-2
Description
 
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, it germinates best in very moist, but not wet, conditions and temperatures of around 22 - 29°c..
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Gunnera+apiculata>

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