This is a weird one. Does anyone know what edible wild root vegetable, or wild plant, would be picked at snowline in the late spring/early summer? It must be an alpine/mountain plant, since we saw people picking it in late May in the western Alps at altitude. It seemed they were digging right at the edge, where the snow had melted in recent days. This was on the Colle di Fauniera, west of Cuneo in Piemonte, but the plant certainly could grow elsewhere.

Sorry, I can't remember even what it looked like. We tried to talk to the people (an older couple -- rough and tough folks!) but they were speaking some kind of dialect and I had no idea what they were telling me.

Any ideas? I've always wanted to know, and we're going back in early June.

Yes, this is an Italy question at its most micro-travel level! Whom to ask but you ...!

Thanks.

Nothing more than a guess

Barba di becco (Tragopogon pratensis l.)
excerpt from

http://www.altavaltrebbia.net/piante/barbadibecco.htm

other names:
Aio de pra, baciapreti, barbaboch, barba di prete, erba del sol, minna di vacca, salsefica, sassefrica, scanabech, scorzabianca, spargi de pra, tragopogono.

[...] vegeta sino a 2.000 m[...]

Le radici si possono raccogliere al primo anno di vegetazione in settembre-ottobre, quando la pianta è in riposo, oppure nella primavera successiva, in marzo-aprile, [...] Si scava con la zappetta o con la vanga

usato per insalate [e frittate I'd add]


Edited to add the last line in the linked page ( what if an inquiring tummy matching an inquiring mind? )

Evitare i semi e i frutti, che sono tossici. Il resto della pianta non procura problemi.

do not eat seeds and fruits (? mah) they are poisonous

quote:

Tragopogon pratensis

Meadow Salsify. Picture, and a note on its edible and medicinal uses here.

Jonathan

Thanks to both of you. I will keep my eyes pealed during our upcoming trip. I hope to see it again, and we are going to the same terrain.

Salsify. Intersteing. Salsefica. I'll know what to ask if I see any pickers.

Thanks, again.