Salad Plant
Kewa acida (Hook.f.) Christenh.
Kewa acida, known as Salad Plant, is an annual or short-lived perennial plant in the family Kewaceae, endemic to St Helena. It has grey leaves and white flowers, and is critically endangered. The leaves are rich in Vitamin C and were historically used by sailors to prevent scurvy.
Description
Kewa acida (Hook.f.) Christenh. is a species of the genus Kewa, the only genus in the family Kewaceae. Native to St Helena, it is a bushy plant with grey leaves and white flowers. Its succulent leaves contain high levels of Vitamin C and were used historically as a preventative for scurvy by sailors. The species is currently classified as Critically Endangered. Kewa acida was first described in 2014 and is one of eight recognized species in the genus Kewa.
Other common names
Salad Plant
Distribution
Global · St.Helena
Synonyms
Pharnaceum acidumHypertelis acida
