''Blitum bonus-henricus'' (

syn. The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnae ...

''Chenopodium bonus-henricus''), also called Good-King-Henry, poor-man's asparagus, perennial goosefoot, Lincolnshire spinach, Markery, English mercury, or mercury goosefoot, is a species of goosefoot which is native to much of central and southern Europe. Good-King-Henry has been grown as a vegetable in cottage gardens for hundreds of years, although this dual-purpose vegetable is now rarely grown and the species is more often considered a weed.

Description

It is an annual or perennial plant growing up to tall. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are long and broad, triangular to diamond-shaped, with a pair of broad pointed lobes near the base, with a slightly waxy, succulent texture. The flowers are produced in a tall, nearly leafless spike long; each flower is very small ( in diameter), green, with five

sepals A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

. The seeds are reddish-green, 2–3 mm in diameter.

Taxonomy

The species was described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as ''Chenopodium bonus-henricus'' in ''

Species Plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial names and was the ...

''. Until 2012, the species was usually included in genus '' Chenopodium'', but molecular genetical research revealed that it does not really belong to this genus. It seems to be more closely related to the genus '' Spinacia'', and is now placed in the genus '' Blitum'' in the tribe Anserineae. The scientific name ''Blitum bonus-henricus'' was first used by

Ludwig Reichenbach Heinrich Gottlieb Ludwig Reichenbach (8 January 1793 – 17 March 1879) was a German botanist and ornithologist. It was he who first requested Leopold Blaschka to make a set of glass marine invertebrate models for scientific education and museu ...

in 1832. Synonyms basing on the same type specimen are: ''Agathophytum bonus-henricus'' (L.) Moq., ''Anserina bonus-henricus'' (L.) Dumort., ''Atriplex bonus-henricus'' (L.) Crantz, ''Chenopodium bonus-henricus'' L., ''Orthospermum bonus-henricus'' (L.) Schur, and ''Orthosporum bonus-henricus'' (L.) T. Nees. Heterotypic synonyms are: ''Blitum perenne'' Bubani, ''Chenopodium hastatum'' St.-Lag., ''Chenopodium ruderale'' Kit. ex Moq., ''Chenopodium ruderale'' St.-Lag., ''Chenopodium sagittatum'' Lam., ''Chenopodium spinacifolium'' Stokes, ''Chenopodium triangulare'' Dulac, ''Chenopodium triangularifolia'' Gilib., and ''Orthosporum unctuosum'' Montandon.

Cultivation

''Blitum bonus-henricus'' thrives best in a fertile, sunny location which is free from perennial weeds. Cold-stratified seeds may have superior germination rates. Very little growth is produced in the first season. This plant does not respond well to transplantation. The foliage may be cut back in autumn.

Uses

Cropping can begin in spring. Some of the new shoots can be thinned out as they appear (usually from mid-spring to early summer) and cooked like asparagus. All cutting should then cease so that shoots are allowed to develop. The succulent triangular leaves may be harvested a few at a time until the end of August and cooked like

spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...

Gallery

File:Plants from Passo Pordoi 14.jpg File:Chenopodium bonus-henricus.JPG File:Chenopodium bonus-henricus sl1.jpg

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q163805 bonus-henricus Flora of Europe Leaf vegetables Perennial vegetables Stem vegetables Flora of New Jersey Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Flora without expected TNC conservation status