Blitum bonus-henricus
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Blitum bonus-henricus (syn. Chenopodium bonus-henricus), also called Good-King-Henry,<ref name=BSBI07>Template:BSBI 2007</ref> poor-man's asparagus, perennial goosefoot, Lincolnshire spinach, Markery,<ref>Great British Bites: Lincolnshire spinach Times Online, 13 May 2008 Template:Registration required</ref> English mercury, or mercury goosefoot,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.
DescriptionEdit
It is an annual or perennial plant growing up to Template:Convert tall.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> The leaves are Template:Convert long and broad, triangular<ref name=":0" /> 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 Template:Convert long; each flower is very small (Template:Convert in diameter), greenish,<ref name=":0" /> with five sepals. The seeds are reddish-green, 2–3 mm in diameter.
TaxonomyEdit
The species was described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus as Chenopodium bonus-henricus in Species Plantarum.<ref name="SpPl" /> 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.<ref name="Fuentes 2012"/><ref name="GRIN" /><ref name="NCBI" /> The scientific name Blitum bonus-henricus was first used by Ludwig Reichenbach in 1832.<ref name="Reichenbach" />
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.<ref name="Tropicos" /> 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.<ref name="ThePlantList" />
Distribution and habitatEdit
It can be found throughout Britain and Europe generally, except in the southeast.<ref name=":0" />
UsesEdit
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 eaten raw<ref name=":0" /> or cooked like spinach.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The flower buds can be cooked as well.<ref name=":0" />
GalleryEdit
- Plants from Passo Pordoi 14.jpg
- Blitum bonus-henricus.jpg
- Chenopodium bonus-henricus sl1.jpg