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Batismaritima

BatismaritimaUsefulTropicalPlants

L.

Bataceae

+Synonyms
CommonName:Beachwort

GeneralInformation
Beachwortisadioecious,evergreen,succulent
shrubproducingtrailingorascendingstemsupto1
metrelong[426].Thestems,whichhavefleshy
leavesandinsignificantflowers,sometimeloopback
tothegroundandformroots[426].
Theleavesaresometimesgatheredfromthewildfor
useinsalads,whilsttheplantisalsousedasa
sourceofpotash[46].

KnownHazards
Noneknown

BotanicalReferences
426

Scramblingoverthesandandprotectingitfromerosion
Photographby:ForestandKimStarr
CreativeCommonsAttribution3.0

Range
S.AmericaBrazil,Peru,norththroughCentral
AmericatosouthernN.America,theCaribbean.

Habitat
Locallyabundantandoftenforminglargecommunitiesatthemarginsofsaltmarshesandestuarineflats[426].

Properties
EdibilityRating
OtherUsesRating
Habit
EvergreenShrub
Height
1.00m
CultivationStatus Wild

CultivationDetails
Aplantofsubtropicaltotropicalcoastalareas[426].
Toleratesseasideconditions,alkalinesoil,salt,nodrainageandseasonalflooding.
Plantsusuallyflowerandfruitallyearround[426].

EdibleUses
Thesucculentleaveshaveasaltyflavourandareoccasionallyusedinsalads[46].Theycanalsobecookedand
usedinpickles[301].Theboiledleavesarestrainedtoremovethefibresandthenusedasasaltypuree[301].
Therootsarechewedandsuckedfortheirsweetjuice[301].Thejuicecanbemadeintoabeverageorusedasa
sweetenerindrinkssuchascoffee[301].

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2662016

BatismaritimaUsefulTropicalPlants

Medicinal
Noneknown

AgroforestryUses:
Theplantscramblesoversandysoils,oftenrootingasitgoes.Thismakesitsuitableforuseinsoilstabilization
projectsondunesandsandysoilsnearthesea[K].

OtherUses
Theplantashesarerichinpotashandcanbeusedformakingsoapandglass[46].

Propagation
Seed

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Lastupdateon20160607:Nowcontaining11019plants.
UsefulTropicalPlantsDatabase2014byKenFern,webinterfacebyAjnaFernwithhelpfrom
RichardMorris.
ThedatabaseandcodeislicensedunderaCreativeCommonsAttributionNonCommercial
ShareAlike3.0UnportedLicense.

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