By S. Olanrewaju Disu
The wild lettuce which locals here call "efo yarin" in vernacular is botanicaly known as "Launaea taraxacifolia, Family Compositae". The leaves of this vegetable plant are eaten fresh as a salad or cooked in soups and sauces. The plant is often grown for cropping the leaves which are sold in markets as cooked or rolled up balls prepared for use. The mineral content of the leaves is known to be relatively high (21.8%)
Traditionally, the plant is burnt to ashes to prepare vegetable. Some cattle farmers in the northern parts of the country feed the leaves to cows-in-milk to increase the yield;and also to sheep and goats-mixed with "natron" to produce multiple births!Natron is a hydrated local sodium carbonate.
Photo: The "Efo Yanrin"-Wild Lettuce
No comments:
Post a Comment