Silverhull buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum, Methodus 290. 1794)

Family: Polygonaceae

Author: Moench

Bibliography: Methodus 290. 1794

Year: 1794

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Fagopyrum

Vegetable: False

Observations: E. Tibet to China (Sichuan, Yunnan)

Description

Silverhull buckwheat, scientifically referred to as Fagopyrum esculentum, is a noteworthy plant from the Polygonaceae family. This species holds great significance both historically and agriculturally, stemming originally from regions stretching from Eastern Tibet to China, notably Sichuan and Yunnan.

First described systematically by the botanist Moench in 1794, Silverhull buckwheat has since been recognized for its adaptability and value as a food source. As an essential crop, it has supported various cultures and economies, particularly within its native range.

In terms of botanical characteristics, Silverhull buckwheat features distinct triangular seeds, which are encased in a hard shell with a silvery sheen, thus giving rise to its common name. The plant thrives in well-drained soils and can be cultivated in various climates, making it a versatile addition to agricultural rotations.

The nutritional profile of Silverhull buckwheat is impressive; it is rich in essential amino acids, fiber, and various minerals. Consequently, it is highly regarded in health-conscious culinary circles and is often utilized in gluten-free diets. Its seeds can be ground into flour or used whole in various dishes, contributing both texture and nutritional value.

Furthermore, Silverhull buckwheat plays a significant ecological role by enriching soil health through its residue and serving as a cover crop that helps manage soil erosion. Its flowers attract pollinators such as bees, aiding in the support of local biodiversity.

In summary, Silverhull buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a plant of considerable historical importance and contemporary value, both as a staple food crop and a beneficial ecological presence. Originating from a wide geographic range in Eastern Tibet through to China’s Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, it continues to be a vital element in agriculture and horticulture.

Common Names

Dan: almindelig boghvede
Fra: blé noir, sarrasin, bouquette, renouée, sarrasin commun, renouée sarrasin, sarrasin comestible
Deu: buchweizen, echter buchweizen, heidekorn
Eng: buckwheat, common buckwheat, japanese buckwheat, silverhull buckwheat, garden buckwheat
Lit: sėjamasis grikis
Spa: alforfón, grano sarraceno, grano turco, trigo-sarraceno
Swe: bovete, bokvete, vanligt bovete
Ita: faggina, fagopiro, grano saraceno, sarasin
Est: harilik tatar
Por: mourisco, trigo-mourisco, trigo-sarraceno
Ces: pohanka obecná
Lav: sējas griķis
Nld: boekweit
Sme: rievdneguoita
Cym: gwenith y bwch, gwenith yr hydd
En: Silverhull buckwheat, Common buckwheat, Buckwheat, Japanese buckwheat, Bindweed, Fringed bindweed, Annual Fagopyrum, Fagopyrum, Мыйырак, Garden buckwheat, Beechwheat, French Wheat, Saracen Corn
Af: Bokwiet
Ar: حنطة سوداء
Hy: Հնդկացորեն ցանովի
Az: Əkin qarabaşağı
Ba: Ҡарабойҙай
Eu: Artobeltz
Be: Грэчка пасяўная, Грэчка
Bn: ঢেমশি
Br: Gwinizh-du
Bg: Обикновена елда
Ca: Fajol, Blat negre, Cairut, Faxol
Zh: Qiao mai, 荞麦, 蕎麥
Cv: Хура тулă
Kw: Ys du
Hr: Heljda
Cs: Pohàňka Střelovità, Pohanka obecná
Da: Almindelig Boghvede, Boghvede
Nl: Gewone boekweit, Boekweit
Eo: Fagopiro
Et: Harilik tatar
Fi: Tattari, Viljatatar, Viljatattari
Fr: Renouée, Bouquette, Sarrasin, Sarrasin commun, Blé noir, Renouée sarrasin, Blé de Barbarie, Bucail, Sarrasin comestible, Sarrasin cultivé, Tall buckwheat
Gl: Trigo mouro
De: Heidekorn, Buchweizen, Blenden, Brein, Echter Buchweizen, Gemeiner Buchweizen, Heidenkorn, Heidensterz, Schwarzes Welschkorn, Türkischer Weizen
El: Φαγόπυρον το εδώδιμον
He: כוסמת
Hi: कूटू
Hu: Hajdina, Pohànka
Is: Bókhveiti
Io: Saraceno
Id: Buckwheat
It: Grano saraceno, Sarasin, Faggina, Fagopiro, Grano saraceno comune, Polenta nera
Ja: Soba
Kn: ಬಕ್‍ಹ್ವೀಟ್
Kk: Егістік қарақұмық
Ky: Кара күрүч
Ko: Memil, 메밀
Lv: Griķi, Sējas griķis
Lt: Sėjamasis grikis
Mk: Елда
Ms: Gandum kuda
Mn: Гурвалжин будаа
Ne: फापर
Se: Rievdneguoita
No: Bokhvete, Bokkveite, Buhvete
Oc: Blat negre
Os: Сауфагæ
Fa: گندم سیاه
Pl: Gryka Siewna, Gryka zwyczajna
Pt: Trigo-sarraceno, Fagópiro (1), Trigo-mourisco, Trigo sarraceno, Mourisco
Pt-br: Trigo sarraceno
Ro: Hrișcă
Ru: Grečicha kul’turnaja, Grečicha posevnaja, Гречиха посевная
Sr: Хељда
Sk: Pohánka jedlá
Es: Alforfón, Grano sarraceno, Grano turco, Trigo-sarraceno, Ajda, Trigo Sarraceno, Trigo negro
Sv: Bovete, Bokvete, Vanligt bovete
Tl: Hayang trigo
Zh-tw: 蕎麥
Ta: நெளிகோதுமை
Tt: Кара бодай
Th: บักวีต
Bo: བྲ་བོ།
Zh-hant: 蕎麥
Tr: Kara Buğday, Karabuğday
Uk: Гречка
Ur: گندم سیاه
Uz: Marjumak
Vi: Kiều mạch
Wa: Boûkete
Cy: Gwenith yr hydd, Gwenith y Bwch
Fy: Boekweet

Synonyms

• Polygonum emarginatum (Roth)
• Helxine fagopyrum (Kuntze)
• Phegopyrum emarginatum ((Roth) Peterm.)
• Kunokale carneum (Raf.)
• Fagopyrum polygonum (Macloskie)
• Fagopyrum vulgare (T.Nees)
• Polygonum macropterum (Meisn.)
• Fagopyrum cereale (Raf.)
• Fagopyrum macropterum var. obtusum (Fenzl)
• Fagopyrum macropterum var. emarginatum ((Roth) Fenzl)
• Polygonum fagopyrum (L.)
• Polygonum dioicum (Buch.-Ham. ex Meisn.)
• Fagopyrum esculentum var. vulgare (Alef.)
• Fagopyrum macropterum (Fenzl)
• Fagopyrum esculentum var. pyramidatum ((Loisel.) Meisn.)
• Fagopyrum dryandrii (Fenzl)
• Polygonum cereale (Salisb.)
• Fagopyrum sarracenicum (Dumort.)
• Fagopyrum emarginatum (Moench)
• Fagopyrum sagittatum (Gilib.)
• Fagopyrum fagopyrum ((L.) H.Karst.)
• Fagopyrum esculentum var. emarginatum ((Roth) Alef.)
• Polygonum pyramidatum (Loisel.)
• Fagopyrum esculentum subsp. ancestralis (Ohnishi)
• Phegopyrum esculentum ((Moench) Peterm.)

Distribution

• China South-Central (native)
• Tibet (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alaska (introduced)
• Albania (introduced)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Altay (introduced)
• Amur (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Assam (introduced)
• Austria (introduced)
• Bahamas (introduced)
• Baleares (introduced)
• Baltic States (introduced)
• Bangladesh (introduced)
• Belarus (introduced)
• Belgium (introduced)
• Bermuda (introduced)
• Bolivia (introduced)
• Botswana (introduced)
• Bulgaria (introduced)
• Buryatiya (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Cape Provinces (introduced)
• Central European Rus (introduced)
• China North-Central (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Chita (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Corse (introduced)
• Costa Rica (introduced)
• Czechoslovakia (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• Denmark (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• East European Russia (introduced)
• East Himalaya (introduced)
• Ethiopia (introduced)
• Finland (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• France (introduced)
• Free State (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Germany (introduced)
• Great Britain (introduced)
• Hungary (introduced)
• Iceland (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Inner Mongolia (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Iraq (introduced)
• Irkutsk (introduced)
• Italy (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Japan (introduced)
• Kamchatka (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kazakhstan (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Kenya (introduced)
• Khabarovsk (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• Krasnoyarsk (introduced)
• Krym (introduced)
• KwaZulu-Natal (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Magadan (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Manchuria (introduced)
• Manitoba (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Mongolia (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Mozambique (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nepal (introduced)
• Netherlands (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Newfoundland (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Caucasus (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Northern Provinces (introduced)
• Northwest European R (introduced)
• Norway (introduced)
• Nova Scotia (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pakistan (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Poland (introduced)
• Portugal (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• Prince Edward I. (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Romania (introduced)
• Sakhalin (introduced)
• Sardegna (introduced)
• Saskatchewan (introduced)
• Sicilia (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• South Dakota (introduced)
• South European Russi (introduced)
• Spain (introduced)
• Sweden (introduced)
• Switzerland (introduced)
• Tanzania (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Transcaucasus (introduced)
• Turkey (introduced)
• Tuva (introduced)
• Uganda (introduced)
• Ukraine (introduced)
• Uzbekistan (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Vietnam (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Himalaya (introduced)
• West Siberia (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)
• Yakutskiya (introduced)
• Yugoslavia (introduced)
• Yukon (introduced)
• Zambia (introduced)
• Zaïre (introduced)
• Zimbabwe (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Sep 24, 2020 by Ika Weiler (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 2, 2021 by Spispolkain (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 1, 2021 by Manū (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 1, 2021 by Manū (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 24, 2020 by Ika Weiler (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Aug 31, 2019 by Tobees (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 10, 2020 by rorolafleur (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 24, 2020 by Ika Weiler (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 1, 2021 by Manū (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 24, 2020 by Ika Weiler (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Habit

Taken Sep 4, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 12, 2020 by Jean-René Girardeau (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 28, 2020 by akire kilbuk (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 1, 2021 by Manū (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Sep 15, 2021 by susanne (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 18, 2022 by Else Nolden (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 3, 2019 by beast_of_troja (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 1, 2021 by Else Nolden (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 26, 2021 by wumbawaura (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Aug 8, 2020 by Pour Demos (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 9, 2021 by Antoine 🌱 AFFOUARD (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 9, 2021 by Antoine 🌱 AFFOUARD (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jan 1, 1800 by Tela Botanica − Daniel MATHIEU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 26, 2022 by Stefan Brandt (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 28, 2020 by akire kilbuk (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 27, 2021 by Maryse M (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 31, 2019 by Tobees (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2889373)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:694526-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Fagopyrum esculentum Moench)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth rate: Rapid

Growth

Ph maximum: 8.5

Ph minimum: 6.0

Light: 7

Atmospheric humidity: 6

Soil nutriments: 6