Indian cress

Indian cress is a common name for several plants and may refer to:

Tropaeolum majus, a plant species native to South and Central America
Tropaeolum minus, a plant species native to South America

Description[edit | edit source]

The Indian cress or Tropaeolum majus is a flowering plant in the family Tropaeolaceae, native to the Andes from Bolivia north to Colombia. The plant is herbaceous, perennial, with trailing stems growing to 1 meter long. The leaves are large, nearly circular, 3 to 15 cm diameter, green with white or light green veins, and are peltate, with the petiole in the middle of the leaf. The flowers are 2.5 to 6 cm diameter, with five petals, eight stamens, and a 2.5 to 3 cm long nectar spur at the back, from which it derives one of its alternative names, "spurflower". The fruit is 2 cm broad, three-segmented, each segment with a single large seed 1–1.5 cm long.

Cultivation and uses[edit | edit source]

Indian cress is widely cultivated for its flowers. It is a popular garden plant, and has been used in herbal medicine. The flowers and leaves are edible, with a peppery flavor similar to watercress. The seeds are also edible, and can be used as a caper substitute.

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Indian cress Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.