Parsley

Another plant we spotted growing wild in the Yorke peninsula was Parsley
It is reported to be a weed species in South East Australia (NSW, Vict, SA), Tasmania and NZ.  We  successfully grow both the curly and flat leaved varieties in the Aquaponics grow beds and, so far, have not had any problem with it coming up elsewhere in the garden.

Binomial name :  Petroselinum crispum
common name : Parsley

It as a well known culinary herb  -  the name Parsley is derived from the Latin petroselinium ( via a couple of steps) which is also derived from the Greek meaning  "rock celery".  I was also interested to learn that apart from the curly and flat leaved varieties there is another one with a swollen root like parsnip.

Nutritionally, this plant is excellent with high levels of polyphenols, Vitamin C and K and some minerals including Zn.  It does have oxalic acid as well.

Pubmed :

Abstract 9 : Parsley extract significantly prolonged bleeding time and decreased platelet aggregation - ie has an anti-clotting effect.  No surprise - as it contains Vit K.
Abstract 12: Parsley relieves gut spasms in the  rat model - would also apply to us.
Abstract 63: This is an interesting one . In Denmark,  Parsley along with Rue, Lavender, Rosemary and Mint have traditionally been used to improve memory and cognition. An aqueous extract of these herbs was found to inhibit an enzyme called Acetylcholine esterase.  This is the same enzyme targeted by one of the drugs now used for Alzheimers disease. It is really surprising to me how folk medicine has discovered such things in the past.

The picture is of P crispus growing in the crack between the floor and walls of a derelict building in Inneston -  an abandoned Gypsum mining town in Innes National Park.

Inneston - wild Parsley

Inneston - old store ruins

The rental car we had