Nasturtium family
Description
A small family of herbs, mainly climbers occurring in the mountainous regions of South America, some having root tubers (Tropaeolaceae 1).
Climbing is by means of twining leaf stalks. The alternate leaves are entire, palmately lobed or peltate, with long petioles. The flowers are showy, usually solitary in the axil of a leaf, with 5 irregular petals and 5 free sepals forming a nectar-containing spur. There are 8 stamens and a superior ovary. There is a compound fruit, splitting into 3 parts, each containing a single seed.
There are 2 genera.
Use
The family provides edible tubers, known as ysaño, which are consumed in South America.
Described species
Tropaeolum tuberosum, ysaño