Trapa bicornis - Ling

Family:	Trapaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Synonyms:	T. bicornuta.
Range:	E. Asia - China.

Trapa bicornis (Ling) is a Perennial. It has a hardness rating of 5and is quite resiliant to frost.
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Ling will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
Ling prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Ling should not be planted in shady areas.

Not known

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Is a pond plant

Cultivation Details

An aquatic plant, floating by means of inflated petioles, it succeeds in still or slowly-flowing water requiring a position in full sun and a slightly acidic water with a rich planting medium[200]. Plants require a high summer temperature in order to perform well, they are not frost hardy[206]. Some botanists regard this species as no more than a part of the one highly polymorphic species T. natans[200]. This species was used for food in Neolithic Britain[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 4/5
Seed - cooked. A crunchy texture with a bland flavour[206]. Rich in starch, the raw seed contains a deleterious principle that is destroyed by cooking[200]. The cooked seed can be dried and ground into a powder[200].

• Seed - includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
The flowers are astringent in fluxes[218]. The fruit is used in the treatment of fever and sunstroke[218]. The plant is anticancer, antipyretic and tonic[218].

• Antipyretic - Treats fevers. See Febrifuge.
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Cancer - Used in the treatment of cancer.
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Propagation

Seed - harvest in late summer and store overwinter in a jar of water in a cold but frost-free place. The seed quickly loses its vitality if it is allowed to become dry. Sow in spring, placing one seed in each pot and submerging them under a few centimetres of water.

Known Hazards

The raw seed contains toxins but that these are destroyed in the cooking process[200, 206].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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