PlantFiles: Indian Rushpea, Hog Potato Flower, Pig Nut
Hoffmannseggia glauca

In the Mexican culture this plant is known as "Chewfee" (phonetic spelling). The folklore is that it prevents tooth decay and you can chew it or make a mouth wash with it.

I have eaten it before and it isn't bad. It grows well around pond banks and can be prolific there and after the monsoons in the desert and on the roadsides but isn't a problem in cultivated areas such as fields and yards.

This plant is supposedly a noxious weed in disturbed areas, where it can form large colonies. It has nut-like, tuberous roots that are eaten by hogs. The stems are reddish and covered in hairy glands. The green, fern-like leaves are twice divided and quite delicate. Here, it springs up and blooms after our monsoon rains in August and September. In my desert yard the dry heat seems to kill it back once the rain stops, so it's not a problem plant for me; I welcome the tiny splashes of bright color.