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How to identify edible wild plants and roots
Contributed by: Kay
  • 1. What is the most important rule for foraging edible wild plants?
A) Brightly colored plants are usually edible.
B) Taste a small piece first.
C) Positive identification is mandatory.
D) If animals eat it, it's safe.
  • 2. Which resource is crucial for proper plant identification?
A) A reliable field guide.
B) Online forum opinions.
C) What your neighbor says.
D) Your memory.
  • 3. What part of the plant should you examine closely for identification?
A) Only the roots.
B) Only the flowers.
C) All parts: leaves, stem, flowers, roots.
D) Only the leaves.
  • 4. What is a potential danger of misidentifying a wild plant?
A) Mild indigestion.
B) Slight headache.
C) Temporary hair loss.
D) Poisoning.
  • 5. Which of these is a characteristic to consider when identifying a plant?
A) Leaf arrangement.
B) Soil color.
C) Cloud coverage.
D) Plant height only.
  • 6. What does 'palmate' leaf arrangement refer to?
A) Leaves directly opposite each other.
B) Leaves radiating from a central point.
C) Leaves that are heart-shaped.
D) Leaves alternating on a stem.
  • 7. What is a 'compound' leaf?
A) A single, large leaf.
B) A leaf with multiple leaflets.
C) A leaf with smooth edges.
D) A leaf with sharp thorns.
  • 8. Before consuming a wild root, what is generally recommended?
A) Eat it raw.
B) Soak it in vinegar.
C) Cook it thoroughly.
D) Dry it in the sun.
  • 9. Which of the following is a poisonous look-alike for wild carrots (Queen Anne's Lace)?
A) Clover.
B) Dandelions.
C) Plantain.
D) Poison hemlock.
  • 10. What is the best time of year to identify plants using flowers?
A) Fall.
B) Spring and Summer.
C) Any time of year is equally good.
D) Winter.
  • 11. Why is it important to learn about poisonous plants in your area?
A) Because they look pretty.
B) To sell them to enemies.
C) To avoid accidental ingestion.
D) To impress your friends.
  • 12. What environmental factor should you consider when identifying a plant?
A) Current stock prices.
B) Popular music.
C) Political opinions.
D) Habitat.
  • 13. What is the purpose of 'spotting' in a field guide?
A) Indicates if the plant has pests.
B) Helps quickly identify key features.
C) Determines the plant's age.
D) Highlights poisonous parts.
  • 14. Why is it crucial to respect private property while foraging?
A) The plants taste better there.
B) The owner will share recipes.
C) It is illegal to trespass.
D) You'll find more rare species.
  • 15. What does 'alternate' leaf arrangement mean?
A) Leaves are bundled together.
B) Leaves are in a circular pattern.
C) Leaves all grow from the base.
D) Leaves are staggered along the stem.
  • 16. What is a 'tuber'?
A) A type of fruit.
B) A protective leaf covering.
C) A thickened underground stem.
D) A seed pod.
  • 17. What is the 'Doctrine of Signatures' and why is it unreliable?
A) Method using a plant's smell for identification; accurate.
B) Belief plant appearance indicates its use; often inaccurate.
C) Theory that only poisonous plants are brightly colored; true.
D) Practice of tasting a plant to determine if it is edible; safe.
  • 18. What is one way to confirm the identification of a plant before consuming it?
A) Trust your intuition.
B) Cross-reference with multiple sources.
C) Ask a random stranger.
D) Eat a large portion to test it.
  • 19. What is the first thing you should do if you suspect you've ingested a poisonous plant?
A) Drink a large amount of water.
B) Induce vomiting immediately.
C) Call poison control.
D) Wait to see if symptoms develop.
  • 20. Why is it important to harvest wild plants sustainably?
A) To annoy other foragers.
B) To sell more plants.
C) To ensure their future availability.
D) To become famous.
  • 21. What is the best tool for carefully digging up roots for identification?
A) A small trowel or shovel.
B) A backhoe.
C) Your bare hands.
D) A bulldozer.
  • 22. What does 'opposite' leaf arrangement mean?
A) Two leaves grow directly across from each other on the stem.
B) Leaves are bunched together.
C) Leaves spiral up the stem.
D) Leaves grow only at the base of the plant.
  • 23. When harvesting wild roots, it's generally recommended to leave part of the plant. Why?
A) The roots taste better when partially eaten.
B) To allow the plant to regenerate.
C) To avoid getting your hands dirty.
D) It's easier to carry less weight.
  • 24. Which of the following is a potential hazard when foraging near water?
A) Water hemlock.
B) Clover.
C) Dandelions.
D) Plantain.
  • 25. What does 'serrated' leaf margin mean?
A) The leaf edge is rounded.
B) The leaf edge has tooth-like edges.
C) The leaf edge is smooth.
D) The leaf edge is lobed.
  • 26. What is the purpose of a 'taste test' when identifying wild plants?
A) There should NOT be a taste test without positive ID first.
B) To see if you like the flavor.
C) To determine the plant's nutritional value.
D) To easily identify a plant.
  • 27. What is a rhizome?
A) A type of fruit.
B) A vertical above-ground stem.
C) A seed pod.
D) A horizontal underground stem.
  • 28. What precautions should you take regarding pesticide use in foraging areas?
A) Pesticides enhance the flavor of plants.
B) Avoid areas that may have been sprayed.
C) Pesticides make plants safer to eat.
D) Pesticide residue is harmless.
  • 29. Why should you avoid foraging near roadsides?
A) It's safer to forage near traffic.
B) It's easier to find rare plants there.
C) Plants may be contaminated with pollutants.
D) Roadside plants taste better.
  • 30. What is a characteristic of fiddleheads that requires cooking before consumption?
A) They have no nutritional value raw.
B) They contain toxins when raw.
C) They are too bitter to eat raw.
D) They are too fibrous to eat raw.
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