Salsafy

Salsafy (Tragopogon porrifolius), or (from the taste) OYSTER PLANT, a biennial vegetable, apparently native to Sonthern Europe, which was more cultivated formerly than now. It has long narrow tapering leaves; hollow peduncles thickened near the apex; and an involucre of eight bracts, longer than the purple or rose-coloured ligulate florets. The whole plant is glabrous. The fusiform tap-root has much milky latex and resembles the parsnip in flavour. This wholesome esculent belongs to the sub-order Liguliflorae of the Compositae.