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Useful Tropical Plants

Monizia edulis

Lowe

Apiaceae

+ Synonyms

Melanoselinum edule Drude.

Thapsia edulis Nichols.

Thapsia moniza Masf.

Common Name: Carrot Tree

Monizia edulis
Cultivated plant
Photograph by: Citron
Creative Commons License
Monizia edulis Monizia edulis

General Information

Carrot tree is a monocarpic, perennial plant growing about 1.2 metres tall.
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for its edible root and medicinal virtues.
Endemic to Madeira and Deserta Grande, where it covers a geographic range of just 226 kmĀ². It's habitat is declining due to infrastructure development, recreational activities and the invasion of exotic species. Collection, fires, droughts, storms, and landslides are all further threats to this species. Despite an increasing trend, the total population counts less than 50 mature individuals. It is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Range

Madeira.

Habitat

Rocky cliffs and terraces with soil accumulation[
2
Title
Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Hedrick. U. P.
Publisher
Dover Publications
Year
1972
ISBN
0-486-20459-6
Description
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusCritically Endangered
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height1.20 m
PollinatorsInsects
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Requires a position in full sun in any moderately fertile well-drained soil[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
A monocarpic species, living for a number of years without flowering and then dying after flowering[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

Root - raw or cooked[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
105
Title
Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
Publisher
Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
Year
1976
ISBN
-
Description
The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
]. The root tastes like earth nuts when it is raw but is insipid when cooked[
2
Title
Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Hedrick. U. P.
Publisher
Dover Publications
Year
1972
ISBN
0-486-20459-6
Description
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
].

Medicinal

The root and stems are cooked and used as a digestive[
433
Title
The Ethnopharmacology of Madeira and Porto Santo Islands, a review
Publication
 
Author
Rivera, D.; Obon, C.
Publisher
Journal of Ethnopharmacology 46
Year
1995
ISBN
 
Description
An enumeration of the medicinal plants of Madeira with a table summarizing the species and their uses.
].

Other Uses

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves[
432
Title
Flavour and Fragrance Journal, Vol. 12, Issue 1.
Publication
 
Author
Figueiredo, C; Barroso, J.G.; Pedro, L.G.; Fontinha, S.S. Et
Publisher
J. Wiley and Sons.
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the essential oil content of Monizia edulis. ; Looman, A;, Scheffer, J.J.C.
].
An essential oil is obtained from the flowers[
432
Title
Flavour and Fragrance Journal, Vol. 12, Issue 1.
Publication
 
Author
Figueiredo, C; Barroso, J.G.; Pedro, L.G.; Fontinha, S.S. Et
Publisher
J. Wiley and Sons.
Year
1997
ISBN
 
Description
An article on the essential oil content of Monizia edulis. ; Looman, A;, Scheffer, J.J.C.
].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe if possible, otherwise sow it in early spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Monizia+edulis>

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