Scientific Name
Other Names
Life Form
Family
Food - Cultivated as a vegetable mainly used as a garnish or as an addition to salads, the flavour is strong with a characteristic hotness. Medicine - Traditionally, watercress has long been used to treat a number of ailments, with claims that it can improve blood circulation for the treatment of renal colic, liver diseases as a mild stimulate, a diuretic, an expectorant and a digestive aid. Also as an abortifacient and for treating colds, coughs and eczema.
Afghanistan, Pakistan
Thrives in streams, ditches, lakes, swamps, marshes, near sea level to 3700 m.
It is a perennial or helophyte.
Stem is glossy green, somewhat fleshy, hollow. Rooting at lower nodes, up to 100 cm long.
Leaves are of two set, Lower leaves: Stalked, with 1-5 rounded leaflets. Upper leaves: Eared bases, with 5-9 narrower, blunt leaflets.
Flowers are small, white. Borne in loose clusters at branch ends, around 0.4 cm across. Petals 0.4-0.5 cm long.
Fruit is oblong shaped, 1-2 cm long. On spreading stalks.
Flowering: April – September,
Fruiting: May – September.