Mirabilis Wide

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Video: Mirabilis Wide

Video: Mirabilis Wide
Video: Tanana & Atsuki / mirabilis (Official lyric video) 2024, March
Mirabilis Wide
Mirabilis Wide
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Mirabilis wide (lat. Mirabilis expansa) - a herbaceous perennial root vegetable of the genus Mirabilis (lat. Mirabilis), belonging to the Niktaginaceae family (lat. Nyctaginaceae). If many relatives of "Mirabilis wide" are distinguished by large bright funnel-shaped flowers that exude a sweet aroma at night, then this species of the genus can demonstrate only miniature white or light purple flowers. When it comes to showing the roots of a plant, this is where "Wide Mirabilis" appears in all its glory. Its tuberous roots have no competitors among relatives. In addition, the tubers of the plant have been used for food by the American Indians since ancient times.

What's in your name

If the translation of the Latin word "Mirabilis", which botanists used for the name of the genus of plants, which sounds "amazing" in Russian, demonstrates the beauty of the flowering of most plants of the genus, then the species called "Wide Mirabilis" surprises with its tuberous roots.

On the specific epithet "expansa", the Google translator gives out the word "spread", which someone once translated literally with the word "wide". And again, the reason here will be the roots of this species of the genus, giving life to a perennial plant and widely spreading over the occupied territory.

The American Indians call the plant "Mauka" or "Chago".

Description

The main part of Mirabilis wide is its roots with root crops, because of which it is popular in the countries of South America. One of its advantages is the plant's high resistance to cold and winds, which many plants on our planet are afraid of. With the arrival of frost, the above-ground part of the plant dies off, but hardy roots, having waited out the frosts in the depths of the soil, with the arrival of heat, again appear on the surface numerous stems up to one meter high. The plant is quite resistant to diseases.

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Although the plant's yield is not very high, its ability to survive in very unfavorable conditions makes Mirabilis broad into an important crop for providing food for people living in the Andes. Indeed, in the composition of tubers, 87 percent are carbohydrates, 5-7 percent are proteins, and calcium, phosphorus and other chemical elements are also present in smaller quantities.

The cylindrical stems are separated by nodes, from which a pair of oval-oblong leaves is born, similar to the leaves of other species of the genus.

But the flowers of the plant are difficult to compete with, for example, with the large and fragrant flowers of the Night Beauty. The miniature flowers form inflorescences on thin long peduncles covered with sticky hairs, and are more like Bougainvillea flowers, a relative of the Niktagin family, only without the bright bracts that adorn the Bougainvillea branches and protect its small flowers.

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The color of miniature flowers is pink, purple, white, depending on the place of growth. Unopened buds are covered with sticky hairs and easily cling to clothing when a person moves awkwardly. Large (relative to the size of the flower) stamens with pollen grains protrude from the opened buds.

Usage

The normal growing season for the Mauka plant is two years. After two years, the harvest is much more significant. But the poverty of the people forces them to harvest root crops every year, which significantly reduces the yield.

If the size of the land area allows, then the method of joint planting (intercropping) of Mauka and corn is used, which leads to a decrease in the number of weeds, insect pests, and improves the structure of the soil.

Leaves, stems and roots are used for nutrition. Fresh roots can irritate the mucous membranes, so the tubers are boiled or dried in the sun. When dried, the bitter component disappears and the roots become sweet, similar in taste to cassava tubers (sweet potatoes).

Tubers boiled in boiling water lose their whiteness, becoming pale yellow, and have a pleasant sweet taste.

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