Galinsoga parviflora in Sopa de Pollo?

[Tom Hollowell]

On Fri, 1 Dec 1995, James H. Beach wrote:

> Please respond to GBScott at aol.com, not to Beach.
>
> Thanks.
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Fri, 1 Dec 1995 15:34:19 -0500
> From: GBScott at aol.com
> Subject: Galinsoga parviflora
>
> I am attempting to determine whether a South American herb, known as guascas
> or huascas in Colombia, is related to any plants in North America.  The
> botanical name of guascas, as I understand it, is Galinsoga parviflora L.  Is
> there a directory of some sort that would tell me (1) whether such a plant
> grows in North America and (2) what its common name is?
> My interest is not botanical.  Guascas is an important ingredient is ajiaco,
> a chicken soup from Colombia.  My Colombian friends tell me guascas is a weed
> that grows in the Andes.
>
> Thanks for any assistance you can give me.
>

Jim,

There are two species of Galinsoga (Asteraceae) in the U.S. that I could
look up, one is G. parviflora Cav. (quickweed or small flowering
galinsoga) and G. quadriradiata Ruiz and Pav. (french-weed or hairy
galinsoga). G. quadriradiata is a common weed in Virginia, G. parviflora
has been found in about 1/3 - 1/4 of the counties.  If its proven to be
edible, I'd like to know.

Cheers!

Tom Hollowell

George Mason University      Interagency Taxonomic Information System
Biology Department           EPA, Office of Information Resources Management
Fairfax, VA 22030            703 235-5618
703 993-1026                 hollowell.tom at epamail.epa.gov
thollowe at gmu.edu
http://osf1.gmu.edu/~thollowe/home.html