Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
Plants Listed by Environment Type 3
Collecting and Harvesting Wild Foods 8
How Much Wild Food Is Out There, Anyway? 10
Are Wild Foods Nutritious? 12
Mushrooms 15
Basidiomycetes 18
Chicken-of-the-Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) 18
Shaggy Mane / Inky Cap (Coprinus comatus) 21
Lepiota (Lepiota rhacodes) 23
Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) 25
Ascomycetes 27
Morels (Morchella esculenta) 27
Seaweeds 29
Marine Green Algae (Chlorophyta); Brown Algae (Phaeophyta); Red Algae (Rhodophyta) 30
Ferns 33
Bracken Family (Dennstaedtiacea) 34
Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) 34
Gymnosperms 37
Ephedra Family (Ephedraceae) 38
Mormon Tea (Ephedra spp.) 38
Pine Family (Pinaceae) 41
Pine (Pinus spp.) 41
Magnoliids 43
Laurel Family (Lauraceae) 44
California Bay (Umbellularia californica) 44
Eudicots 47
Muskroot Family (Adoxaceae) 48
Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) 48
Fig Marigold Family (Aizoaceae) 52
New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) 52
Amaranth Family (Amaranthaceae) 55
Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) 55
Carrot Family (Apiaceae) 58
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) 58
Sunflower Family (Asteraceae) 61
Chicory (Cichorium intybus) 61
Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola and others) 64
Sow Thistle (Sonchus oleraceus and others) 67
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) 70
Mustard Family (Brassicaceae) 73
Mustard (Brassica spp. and Hirschfeldia incana) 73
Sea Rocket (Cakile edentula and C. maritima) 76
Indian Cabbage (Calanthus inflatus) 79
Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) 82
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) 84
Wild Radish (Raphanus sativus and R. raphanistrum) 87
Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium irio and S. officinale) 90
Cactus Family (Cactaceae) 93
Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.) 93
Pink Family (Caryophyllaceae) 99
Chickweed (Stellaria media) 99
Goosefoot Family (Chenopodiaceae) 103
Orach (Atriplex californica) 103
Lamb's Quarter, White and Green (Chenopodium album and C. murale) 106
Glasswort or Pickleweed (Salicornia spp.) 109
Russian Thistle (Salsola tragus) 112
Stonecrop Family (Crassulaceae) 115
Live-Forever (Dudleya spp.) 115
Heath Family (Ericaceae) 117
Manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.) 117
Legume Family (Fabaceae) 120
Acacia (Acacia spp.) 120
Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) 123
Palo Verde (Parkinsonia micropbylla and P. florida) 126
Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and Screwbean (P. pubescent) 129
Oak Family (Fagaceae) 132
Oak Tree (Quercus spp.) 132
Geranium Family (Geraniaceae) 136
Filaree (Erodium spp.) 136
Gooseberry Family (Grossulariaceae) 138
Currants and Gooseberries (Ribes spp.) 138
Walnut Family (Juglandaceae) 141
Black Walnut (Juglans californica and J. hindsii) 141
Mint Family (Lamiaceae) 144
Mint (Mentha spp.) 144
Chia (Salvia columbaria?) 146
Mallow Family (Malvaceae) 149
Mallow (Malva neglecta) 149
Miner's Lettuce Family (Montiaceae) 152
Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) 152
Oxalis Family (Oxalidaceae) 155
Sour Grass / Wood Sorrel (Oxalis spp.) 155
Passionflower Family (Passifloraceae) 158
Passionflower (Passiflora caerulea and P. tarminiana) 158
Lopseed Family (Phrymaceae) 161
Common Mimulus (Mimulus guttatus) 161
Plantain Family (Plantaginaceae) 163
Veronica (aka Speedwell) (Veronica americana) 163
Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae) 165
California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) 165
Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) 168
Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) 172
Wild Rhubarb (Rumex hymenosepalus) 174
Purslane Family (Portulacaceae) 176
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) and Desert Portulaca (P. halimoides) 176
Buckthorn Family (Rhamnaceae) 179
California Coffee Berry (Frangula californica and F. purshiana) 179
Rose Family (Rosaceae) 181
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) 181
Wild Cherries (Prunus spp.) 183
Wild Rose (Rosa spp.) 186
Blackberry (Rubus spp.) 189
Jojoba Family (Simmondsiaceae) 191
Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) 191
Nightshade Family (Solanaceae) 193
Western Nightshade, Black Nightshade (Solanum americanum (aka S. nodiflorum), S. douglasii, S. nigrum, and S. xanti) 193
Nasturtium Family (Tropaeolaceae) 196
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) 196
Nettle Family (Urticaceae) 199
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) 199
Grape Family (Vitaceae) 203
Wild Grape (Vitis spp.) 203
Monocots 206
Century Plant Family (Agavaceae) 207
Yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) 207
Onion or Garlic Family (Alliaceae) 211
Wild Onions et al. (Allium spp.) 211
Palm Family (Arecaceae) 215
California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera) 216
Spiderwort Family (Commelinaceae) 219
Wandering Jew (Tradescantia fluminensis) 219
Tropical Spiderwort (Commelina benghalensis) 221
Rush Family (Juncaceae) 223
Rush (Juncus textilis et al.) 223
Grass Family (Poaceae) 225
Cattail Family (Typhaceae) 228
Cattail (Typha spp.) 228
Other Edibles 232
Getting Started 234
Test Your Knowledge of Plants 237
The Dozen Easiest-to-Recognize, Most Widespread, Most Versatile Wild Foods of California 241
Staff of Life: Best Wild-Food Bread Sources 244
Sweet Tooth: Best Wild-Food Sugars and Desserts 248
Useful References 251
Index 254
Recipe Index 259
About the Author 260
