| Iva annua | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Tribe: | Heliantheae |
| Genus: | Iva |
| Species: | I. annua |
| Binomial name | |
| Iva annua L. 1753 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Iva annua, theannual marsh elder[3] orsumpweed, is a North Americanherbaceousannual plant in the familyAsteraceae that was historically cultivated byNative Americans for itsedible seed.
Iva annua is an annual herb up to 150 cm (5 feet) tall. The plant produces many small flower heads in a narrow, elongated, spike-like array, each head with 11–17 disc florets but no ray florets.[4] Marshelder has a unique odor when the leaves or pollen are touched, but this odor is not present in winnowed seed.
Cultivated varieties of Marshelder (var. macrocarpa) bred by Native Americans possessed seeds 6-9mm in length; whereas wild-type Marshelder has seeds 3 mm in length on average (not exceeding 4.5 mm).[5]
It is native to northeastern Mexico (Tamaulipas) and to the central and southern United States, primarily theGreat Plains andMississippi Valley as far north asNorth Dakota. There are some populations in the eastern US, but these appear to represent introductions.[6]
NatureServe evaluatedIva annua in 1998 as globally secure, G5.[1]
Iva annua was cultivated for its edible seed by Native Americans around 4,000 years ago[7] in the central and eastern United States as part of theEastern Agricultural Complex. It was especially important to the indigenous peoples of theKansas City Hopewell culture in present-dayMissouri andIllinois. The edible parts contain 32 percent protein and 45 percent oil.
However, like its relativeragweed, sumpweed possesses many objectionable qualities which include being a severe potentialallergen and possessing a unique odor. Probably for these reasons it was abandoned after more pleasant alternatives (such asmaize) were available and, by the time Europeans arrived in the Americas, had disappeared as a crop.[8]
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Media related toIva annua at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toIva annua at Wikispecies