Pigvine
Gunnera magellanica

Family: Gunneraceae

What it is like

A fleshy perennial herb. It grows 8-15 cm tall. The leaves are dark green and rounded or kidney shaped. They are 6 cm across. They are often bronze colour when young. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. The flowers do not have petals and the sepals are only on female flowers.

There are about 68 Gunnera species. They are in the southern hemisphere and in cool or cold places.

Where it is found

It is a cold temperate plant. They grow in wet boggy conditions. It grows in the Antarctic. It grows in the most southern regions of South America. In Colombia it grows between 3,200 and 4,000 m altitude. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,800 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andes, Antarctic, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Peru, South America, Sweden

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten raw or cooked.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves or stalks

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Nalca

Synonyms

Dysemone integrifolia Banks & Sol. ex G. Forst.; Gunnera falklandica Hook.; Misandra magellanica (Lam.) J. F. Gmel.; and others