Trapa natans
L.
Lythraceae
Some botanists regard this species as the only genuine member of the genus, with all other species considered to be no more than a part of this one highly polymorphic species[
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.
].
Trapa bispinosa Roxb.
Trapa japonica Flerow.
Common Name: Water Chestnut
General Information
The water chestnut is an annual aquatic herb with a rosette of floating leaves and submerged, paired but not opposite, pinnatisect and leaf-like adventitious roots[
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. The plant can be free-floating in the water, or rooting in the mud in shallow water. It is also able to grow out of water in very wet, muddy soils[
].
Its use as a food crop has greatly declined in recent times in Europe, but it is an important crop in many parts of Asia where it is widely cultivated for its edible seeds[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. The plant is also grown as an ornamental in aquaria and outdoor ponds.
Known Hazards
The raw seed contains toxins but that these are destroyed in the cooking process[
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.
,
206- Title
- Oriental Vegetables
- Publication
-
- Author
- Larkcom J.
- Publisher
- John Murray
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-7195-4781-4
- Description
- Well written and very informative.
].
Botanical References
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
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.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
Europe to E. Asia, Indo-China and N. Africa.
Habitat
Slow-moving rivers, lakes, swamps and ponds from near sea level to 2,700 metres[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Water up to 60cm deep.
Properties
Edibility Rating |     |
Medicinal Rating |   |
Other Uses Rating |   |
Habit | Perennial |
Height | 0.00 m |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the temperate to tropical zones, where it is found at elevations up to 1,500 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 25°c, but can tolerate 10 - 35°c[
]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -25°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at 0°c[
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 500 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 300 - 1,600mm[
].
A water plant, growing in water up to 60cm deep. Requires a sunny position in slightly acidic water[
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.
]. Dislikes calcium rich water[
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
]. Prefers a rich soil[
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
56- Title
- Complete Guide to Water Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Muhlberg. H.
- Publisher
- E. P. Publishing Ltd.
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
- 0-7158-0789-7
- Description
- Deals with a wide range of plants for temperate areas (and indoor aquaria) with quite a lot of information on cultivation techniques.
,
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.
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7.5, tolerating 5 - 8.2[
].
There are some named varieties[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
,
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
In India, the fruit is broadcast in 30 - 69 cm deep nursery ponds and pressed into the mud, transplanted at the 4 - 5 leaf stage and replanted when 4 - 5 months old. Lateral pruning is carried out to accelerate flowering and fruiting[
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. In China, the water chestnut is cultivated in running water[
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Edible Uses
Seed - raw, cooked or dried and ground into a powder[
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.
,
3- Title
- Growing Unusual Fruit.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Simmons. A. E.
- Publisher
- David & Charles; Newton Abbot.
- Year
- 1972
- ISBN
- 0-7153-5531-7
- Description
- A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.
,
13- Title
- Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Triska. Dr.
- Publisher
- Hamlyn
- Year
- 1975
- ISBN
- 0-600-33545-3
- Description
- Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
,
34- Title
- The Oxford Book of Food Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1975
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.
,
56- Title
- Complete Guide to Water Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Muhlberg. H.
- Publisher
- E. P. Publishing Ltd.
- Year
- 1982
- ISBN
- 0-7158-0789-7
- Description
- Deals with a wide range of plants for temperate areas (and indoor aquaria) with quite a lot of information on cultivation techniques.
,
63- Title
- Nuts.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Howes. F. N.
- Publisher
- Faber
- Year
- 1948
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.
,
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
100- Title
- Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polunin. O.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1969
- ISBN
- 0192176218
- Description
- An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
]. A sweet floury and agreeable flavour[
27- Title
- The Vegetable Garden.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Vilmorin. A.
- Publisher
- Ten Speed Press
- Year
-
- ISBN
- 0-89815-041-8
- Description
- A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.
], similar to sweet chestnuts (Castanea spp)[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. The seed contains up to 50% starch according to one report[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
], 16% starch, 3% protein in another report[
117- Title
- The Book of Edible Nuts.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rosengarten. jnr. F.
- Publisher
- Walker & Co.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0802707699
- Description
- A very readable and comprehensive guide. Well illustrated.
] and 15% protein, 7.5% fat in a third[
74- Title
- Flora of the USSR.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Komarov. V. L.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Israel Program for Scientific Translation
- Year
- 1968
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. (Are all these reports talking about the same thing?). One report says that the raw nut contains toxins that are destroyed by cooking the seed[
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.
].
Medicinal
The fruits are used in the preparation of liniments to treat elephantiasis, pestilent fevers, rheumatism, sores, sunburn and skin complaints[
].
Other Uses
The seeds are sometimes used as beads in necklaces and rosaries[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
324- Title
- Edible Nuts.
- Publication
- Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5
- Author
- Wickens G.E.
- Website
- http://www.fao.org/docrep/
- Publisher
- FAO, Rome.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 92-5-103748-5
- Description
- Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed - harvest in late summer and store overwinter in a jar of water in a cold but frost-free place. The seed quickly loses its vitality if it is allowed to become dry. Sow in spring, placing one seed in each pot and submerging them under a few centimetres of water.
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