Wilderness Plants, Lichens, Moss, Fungi & other Flora

Pincushion cactus (mammillaria)

This is a very small cactus that has pepper shaped fruit during season. While they resemble a pepper they are actually quite tart. Once ripe they are easily picked off the cactus. They can also be used in a tea. I have heard the stems of this cacti are edible once roasted (spines removed of course). I haven't actually done this myself though. I've only ever consumed the small fruits.

 

Mallow (common mallow) malva

I have also heard mallow called cheeseweed, and that is primarily how people think of mallow, as a weed. It is an edible green however and the young leaves, flowers/flower buds, and mallow "peas" are edible (along with the younger roots). It can be eaten raw or cooked, and according to my friend John Slattery (herbalist in AZ) the leaves can be made into a tea that helps relieve a cough or sore throats.

 

Hen of the Woods

g. Frondosa

Polypore mushroom (has pores, not gills) that grows at the base of hardwood trees, especially oak. Grows from a central stipe (stalk) with numerous caps being generally spoon shaped, gray to tan with a white underside. Range is East to Midwest U.S., September to late November. 1-3 pores per mm.



Slice into 1/2" strips, sautee in EVOO 3-5 minutes over med-high heat, add 1/4 cup beer and simmer until reduced. Serve alone or over rice/pasta.

 

Amazingly delicious fungi^

 

One of my favorites. Cauliflower mushrooms and lions manes are good also, and easy to ID. I thought I had some pictures of them I could post here, but apparently not.

 

Brittlebush (Encelia)

Found along hillsides, flat open areas, or on the outskirts of seasonal washes, brittlebush is a medicinal Sonoran desert plant. An equal parts mixture of the leaves and flowers help combat local allergies. The small pieces of sap clinging to the branches are good to put onto sensitive teeth (and work as a passable glue). The branches themselves can be roughed up and used as a field expedient tooth brush (combine that with some yucca fibers and you got a brush and floss lol).

 

Whats a good resource book with good pictures for generally found sources for Oklahoma and surrounding areas?

 

Filaree (erodium cicutarium) also known locally as storksbill

From my understanding it's a pretty pervasive "weed" throughout the US. It has small pink/purple flowers with 5 petals. (If I see one flowering I'll add the photo). Seed pods look like a long pointed bill of a bird (thus storksbill). I've never seen this plant get tall, though it can become large and sprawling. It likes disturbed areas (roadsides, edges of seasonal washes and drainages, edges of trails, etc). The edible parts are the flowers and young leaves. My friend John Slattery (Herbalist) states that the young roots can also be eaten in moderation.

 

Any ideas? Found in coastal Mississippi.

 

Looks like it may be in the nightshade family. I'll poke around, see if I can find out.

 

Could be Atropa Belladonna (deadly nightshade) or it might be Eastern Black nightshade. I'm not very familiar with either, but take a look at those and compare it to what you saw and let me know.

 

@Caleb O
Thank you
From the best I could tell it is the black nightshade. You saying it makes me feels a lot better as I already stated kill1ng the heck out of it..

 

Chia (salvia columbariae)

Chai is pretty iconic looking as far as spring flowers go in the Southwest. A purple ball of spikes with small purple flowers emerging intermittently from the spiked seed head. If there is any doubt the stem is square in shape.

I generally find chia on the edge of desert slopes and washes. Late spring into early summer is when to start gathering the seeds. As the plant begins to dry you can shake the seeds out of the head into a container or just pick the head and process later.

Seeds can be added to a drink, as this helps the body with cooling and maintaining hydration (good things in the desert). It can also be ground and used like other grains.

 

Very interesting, @Caleb O , I learned something today.

And all this time I thought the chia plant's natural habitat was clay statues in the shape of dogs.

 

This thread is awesome.

I will contribute with edibles and poisonous plants from my AO as well.