Tropaeolum

Nasturtiums are bright garden plants.

Their leaves are round like shields. Some plants have long stems that climb. They can grow over fences.

The flowers come in red, yellow, or orange. They have a peppery taste. You can eat them in a salad!

These plants love to grow in the sun. They do well in dry soil too. They are very fun to grow.

Nasturtiums are bright plants used in gardens.

They belong to a group called Tropaeolum. This group has about 80 different types. Many of these plants come from South and Central America.

These plants have very special leaves. The leaves are round like shields. We call this shape peltate. The stems can be long and thin. Some stems can twine around other plants for support.

The flowers are very colorful. They can be red, orange, yellow, or cream. Some flowers even have stripes. One flower has a nectar spur. This is a tube at the back that holds nectar.

You can even eat these plants! The flowers and leaves have a peppery taste. They are like watercress. The flowers have a lot of vitamin C. Some types also grow roots underground. One type is called Mashua. People in the Andes mountains eat these roots.

They have been grown there for a very long time.

Nasturtiums are bright and useful plants found in many gardens.

They belong to a group called Tropaeolum. This group has about 80 different species. Most of these plants come from South and Central America. They are known for their showy flowers and interesting leaves. Many people grow them because they are easy to care for. They do well in sunny spots and poor soil.

These plants have a very specific way of growing. Their leaves are round and shaped like a shield. This shape is called peltate. The leaf stalks, or petioles, are long. In some species, these stalks twine around other stems to stay upright. The flowers are bisexual, meaning they have both male and female parts. Each flower has five petals and five sepals. One sepal is long and forms a nectar spur at the back. This spur is a tube that holds sweet nectar.

A famous scientist named Carl Linnaeus named this group. He wrote about them in his book, Species Plantarum. Linnaeus chose the name Tropaeolum for a special reason. He thought the round leaves looked like shields. He also thought the bright flowers looked like blood-stained helmets. This reminded him of ancient Roman trophies called tropaeum. These were poles used to hang an enemy's armor after a battle.

Many different types of these plants exist today. The most common garden type is a hybrid of T. majus and others. Some species come from very high places. For example, T. polyphyllum lives in the Andes mountains. Its roots can survive underground at 3,300 meters high. Another type is called Mashua, or T. tuberosum. This plant has been grown for food since before the Incas lived in the Andes. It produces large edible tubers underground.

You can actually use many parts of these plants. The flowers and leaves have a peppery taste. They are similar to the taste of watercress. The flowers are even high in vitamin C. Some people use the unripe seed pods to make a condiment. In Germany, doctors even use a medicine made from nasturtium. People also use them in gardens to help control pests. They can act as a trap for certain bugs. This helps keep the rest of the garden healthy.

The genus *Tropaeolum* consists of approximately 80 different species of flowering plants. These plants can be annuals or perennials. Most species are herbaceous, meaning they have soft stems rather than woody ones. They are native to South and Central America. Many species are highly valued in gardens for their bright colors. They are also known by the common name nasturtium. This name comes from an oil they produce. This oil smells and tastes similar to watercress, which is known as *Nasturtium officinale*.

Physically, these plants have very distinct features. Their leaves are often peltate, which means they are shaped like a shield. The leaf stalk, or petiole, attaches to the center of the leaf rather than the edge. These petioles can be quite long. In some species, the stalks twine around other plants to provide support. The flowers are bisexual, meaning they contain both male and female reproductive parts. Each flower has five petals and five sepals. One of the sepals is modified into a long, funnel-shaped nectar spur. This spur sits at the back of the flower to hold nectar.

The reproductive parts of the flower are quite complex. The flowers are zygomorphic, which means they have bilateral symmetry. This means if you split them down the middle, the two sides would match. There are five clawed petals on each flower. The lower three petals look different from the upper two. The plant also has eight stamens arranged in two whorls of different lengths. The ovary is superior and contains three segments. It also features three stigmas located on a single style. After pollination, the plant produces a naked, nut-like fruit. This fruit contains three single seed segments.

Carl Linnaeus named this genus in his book, *Species Plantarum*. His choice of the name *Tropaeolum* was inspired by ancient Roman history. The Romans used trophy poles called *tropaeum* to display captured armor. Linnaeus felt the round leaves looked like shields. He also thought the bright flowers looked like blood-stained helmets. In the past, the genus included two other groups, *Magallana* and *Trophaeastrum*. *Magallana* was known for having winged fruit. *Trophaeastrum* was identified by its lack of nectar spurs. However, a molecular study in 2000 changed this classification. The study showed these groups were not distinct enough. Now, *Tropaeolaceae* is a monogeneric family, meaning it contains only this one genus.

There are many different types of *Tropaeolum* with unique traits. *T. majus* is the most common garden hybrid. It grows well in sunny areas and poor soil. In contrast, *T. polyphyllum* is a very hardy perennial from Chile. It grows in the Andes mountains at elevations up to 3,300 meters. Its underground rhizomes allow it to survive harsh winters. Another notable species is *T. tuberosum*, known as Mashua. This plant has been cultivated since before the Inca civilization. It produces edible tubers that are a major food source in the Andes. These tubers can produce crops of 30 tonnes per hectare at elevations above 1,000 meters.

Many parts of the *Tropaeolum* plant are useful to humans. The flowers and leaves of *T. majus* are edible. They have a peppery flavor. The flowers are very nutritious, containing about 130 mg of vitamin C per 100 g. They also contain up to 45 mg of lutein per 100 g. This is the highest amount of lutein found in any edible plant. Some people use the unripe seed pods as a condiment. They can be placed in vinegar to act like capers. In Germany, doctors prescribe a medicine called Angocin Anti-Infekt N. This herbal antibiotic is made from nasturtium and horseradish root.

Beyond food and medicine, these plants play roles in ecology. Gardeners often use them as companion plants. They can be used for biological pest control. Some varieties act as a trap crop to attract pests away from other plants. Others may help by attracting predatory insects. This shows how a single genus can connect to many different fields. It connects to human nutrition, ancient history, and modern medicine. Whether as a mountain survivor or a garden flower, *Tropaeolum* is a versatile group of plants.