- Region
- South America
- Origin
- Southern Chile and neighbouring Argentina, along streams, cliffs and forest edges
- Traditions
- Mapuche medicine
South America · Herb · № 865
Gunnera tinctoria
Herb · South America
Nalca (Chilean rhubarb)
Gunnera tinctoria
A giant plant with leaves up to two metres across. The peeled stalks are edible; root and stalks are rich in tannins.
Safety notes
The stalks are food; eat them in moderation. Outside Chile the plant is invasive; do not plant it in the wild. Traditional use is no proof of effect; consult a doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have a medical condition.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Healing traditions of the Americas: Eat in moderation. Have persistent diarrhoea or bleeding assessed by a doctor.
Preparation
Peel the stalks and eat them raw or cook them into jam; the root as a decoction.
Use in traditions
Pangke in Mapudungun; the edible stalk is called nalca. The tart stalks are eaten like rhubarb, and the large leaves cover the food in curanto, a dish cooked in a pit. Because of its tannins the plant was used for diarrhoea, fever and bleeding, and the root gave a black dye.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Healing traditions of the Americas
Attributed effects
The stalks as a refreshing food; the decoction for diarrhoea and fever.
Preparation and amount
Peel young stalks and eat them raw with a little salt; the root as a decoction.
Caution: Eat in moderation. Have persistent diarrhoea or bleeding assessed by a doctor.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Decoction