Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets

Mesua ferrea

Edible: Seeds, Fruit, Leaves

An evergreen tree. It grows 18-30 m tall. It spreads 6 m wide. It often has buttresses. The bark is grey but turns brown and peels off in white flakes. The leaves are simple and deep green. They are sword shaped and 15 cm long. They are leathery. The leaves have a waxy coating underneath. New leaves are red. The flowers are white and have a scent. They have 4 petals and many yellow stamen. The fruit is fleshy with a stone inside. The fruit are 5 cm across. They have a woody rind. The stigma remains at the tip and the calyxes at the base. The fruit have 4 seeds.

A tropical plant. It is native to Asia. It grows between 500-600 m altitude in China. In India it grows from 60-1200 m altitude. It grows in evergreen humid forest. It can grow in bright shade or full sun. It does best in rich, slightly acid soil. In XTBG Yunnan. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

Common Names: Indian rose chestnut, Bosneak, Bun nak, Bun-naak, Changkok, Dieng-ngai, Gangane, Gangaw, Ironwood, Irul, Ka thang, Kawtanok, Kesaramu, Lenggapus, Mai-kam-kaw, Mai-ting, Matopus, May lek, Mentepus, Mesua, Na, Nag champa, Naga sari, Nagacesara, Nagachambagam, Nagachampakamu, Nagakeshara, Nagasampige, Nagasari, Nagas tree, Nagchampa, Nagesar, Nageswar, Nagkesar, Nagkesara, Nahor, Nak but, Nanga, Nangal, Nangu, Ngai-ching, Penaga lilin, Penaga puteh, Penaga sabut, Penaga suga, Penaga, Penga kunyit, Peri, Poached egg tree, Pohon nagasari, Tapis, Vap, Veluthapala

Synonyms: Calophyllum nagassarium N. L. Burman;
Mesua nagana Gardner;
Mesua nagassarium (N. L. Burman) Kostermans;

Microlepia speluncae

Edible: Leaves, Shoots, Vegetable, Caution

A large fern. It has creeping rhizomes. These are fleshy. It grows 0.7-2 m high. It forms spreading clumps. The fronds are erect and pale green. They are 0.7-2 m long and the stalks are 30-70 cm long. They are pale brown and hairy. The frond blade is 0.7-1.3 m long by 0.6-1 m wide and they are almost a triangle shape. They are divided 2-4 times. They are dull green. The sori or spore bodies are cup shaped.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in sheltered spots in the rainforest. It grows up to 1,200 m above sea level. It suits humid locations. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,650 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows below 700 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

Common Names: Cave Fern, Limpleaf fern, Kilele, Kirere, Pakis gua, Teanum, Tortum, Tumbin

Polypodium speluncae L.;
Davallia speluncae (L.)Bak.;
and several others

Microsorum punctatum

Edible: Leaves, Fronds,

A leafy fern. It has a slender creeping rhizome. It is fleshy. It is covered with a dense mass of black roots. The fern grows 0.3-1.2 m high. It can grow in soil or on rocks. The fronds are narrow and pale green. They are 30-120 cm long by 4-10 cm wide. They are leathery and undivided. They grow erect. Some varieties have lobed leaves. There are a range of cultivated varieties. The spore bodies are 0.1 cm across. They grow on the upper half of the fronds.

It is a tropical plant. It suits warm climates. It grows on boulders and amongst rocks in dry forest. It suits hardiness zones 11-12.

Common Names: Fragrant fern, Climbing bird's nest fern

Synonyms:

Acrostichum punctatum L.;
Polypodium punctatum (L.) Sw.
Polypodium irioides Poiret;
Polypodium irioides var. lobatum F.M.Bail.;
Polypodium punctatum f lobatum (F.M. Bail.) Domin.;
Polypodium punctatum f cristatum (F.M. Bail.) Domin.;
Polypodium polycarpon Swartz.;
Microsorium polycarpum (Swartz.) Tardieu;
and several others 

Trigastrotheca pentaphylla

Edible: Leaves, Vegetable, Flowers

A small annual herb. It lies along the ground or curves upwards. It is 10-20 cm high. The stems are 4 angled and branch from near the base. The leaves are wedge shaped and thick and fleshy. They can be arranged alternately, oppositely or in rings or whorls. The lower leaves have stalks while the upper leaves do not have stalks. The flowers are small but in large arrangements. These develop in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a capsule which splits open.

A tropical plant. It grows in open sandy places. In Papua New Guinea it grows from sea level to 1,000 m altitude. It grows up to 2,300 m in the Himalayas.

Common Names: Five-leaved carpetweed, Binhcu,Bunga karang, Galingsa, Jharasa, Jharasi, Julpapra, Khet-papara, Marakata, Myetpan, Paepadakam, Parpadakapullu, Pirigarundi, Pita-gohun, Rumput belangkas, Rumput burong, Soi nok kao, Tapak burong, Vahmim bung, Va-umim-bung, Verrichatarasi, Ya nok kao

Synonyms: 

Mollugo pentaphylla L.;
Mollugo stricta Linn.;
Mollugo trifolia Schult.;
Pharnaceum pentaphyllum (L.) Spreng.;
Pharnaceum triphyllum Spreng.;
 

Momordica charantia

Edible: Fruit, Leaves, Seeds - spice, Flowers, Vegetable

A pumpkin family plant. It is a slender annual climber with flowers of both sexes on the one plant. It has simple tendrils and vines can be 4 m long. It has bright green lobed leaves. The leaves are 5 to 12 cm long on thin leaf stalks 3-10 cm long. The flowers have 5 petals, are small, yellow and with a sweet smell. Fruit are green when young and orange when ripe. The fruit have a lumpy appearance, with ridges along its length and when fully ripe burst open. It has bright red covering on the seeds inside. The seeds are 10-16 mm long and 7 to 10 mm wide and pale brown. Considerable variation in the fruit occurs between varieties.

A tropical plant. It grows from sea level up to about 500 m and will probably grow to 1000 m altitude in tropical regions. They require a well drained soil preferably rich in organic matter. Seeds do not germinate below 15°C. Plants grow best with temperatures between 18°C and 35°C. In Nepal it grows to about 2100 m altitude. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. A soil pH of 6.5 is best. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Bitter cucumber, Ampalaya, Ampalayang ligaw, Andaimi, Armagosa, Atap, Atmagosu, Bak phak sai, Balsam pear, Balsamina, Balsambirne, Balsamo, Banana-rato, Bitter gourd, Burboqui, Camatom, Carilla fruit, Caryla, Chang kha, Combre amer, Cosselaha, Cundeamor, Daun paria, Dimbunzu, Ejinrin, Fu kwa, Gala, Goya, Habit kangkoroiso, Hagal, Haix s'aix, Hkaw-hka, Iliero, Jumbee, Kagai chi, Kaippa, Kaippavalli, Karela, Kareli, Kari, Kariwila, Karle, Kerala, Karola, Khechak kerela, Khenao, Khoqua, Kirla, Korola, Ku gua, Ku gwa, Kuruvithalai paakakai, Kyet-hin-khar, Kyet-hun-kha-thi, Lubavhe, Lugulusekene, Lu kinto, Ma-hary-khan, Ma-hoi, Maha, Mambuzu, Mara, Mara khee nok, Mbee, Melon de raton, Mreahs, Muop dang, Naere, Niga uri, Nngutshiphaswi, Orobodo, Pakal, Pak sai, Palia, Palya, Pare, Paria, Paria-paria liar, Pariyo, Parya-bakir simaron, Pavakka, Pavatkai, Peria, Periok, Phakha, Phak sai, Poiyoi, Pomo meraviglia, Sancactano, Sorosi, Sushavi, Tangkha, Tasplira, Tita karela, Titakoralashak, Tshibavhe, Twasplira

Synonyms: 

Momordica charantia subsp. abbreviata (Ser.) Greb.;
Momordica chinensis Spreng.;
Momordica elegans Salisb.;
Momordica indica L.;
Momordica muricata DC.;
Momordica operculata Vell.;
Momordica sinensis Spreng.;
Cucumis africanus Lindley;
Cucumis argyi H. Lev.;
Sicyos fauriei H. Lev.;

Monochoria vaginalis

Edible: Leaves, Flowers, Tubers, Vegetable, Stem, Rhizome, Root

A plant which grows in water attached to the mud. It keeps growing from year to year. The stems are 5 cm long. The plant can grow to 35 cm tall. The lower leaf is 2.5-11 cm long by 0.4-7.5 cm wide. The leaves are sword shaped to broadly oval. The leaf stalk is fleshy and 5-70 cm long. The stem leaf is similar to the lower leaf. The flower stalk is 12-35 cm long. The flower cluster is 1.5-5 cm long and dense bearing 1-20 flowers. The flowers are 0.9-1.8 cm long and blue. The fruit is a capsule 1 cm across and round but flattened at the top. The seeds are oval and about 1 mm across.

Now Pontederia vaginalis. 

A tropical plant. It needs a sunny position for flowering. It occurs in slow moving streams and swamps. It grows in wetlands. It grows to 1550 m altitude. It is very frost sensitive. It is native to Australia and Asia. It is often in rice fields. It suits acid soils. In Sichuan.

Common Names: Oval-leaf monochoria, Ajnai, An mu, Bakbaklung, Beda, Bengok, Bhat meteka, Bia bia, Biga-bigaan, Bilagut, Birabiraan, Cachiee, Chrach, Dhape jhar, Duck tongue, Duke's tongue, Echeng lembut, Echeng leutik, Echeng padi, Ehin, Etjeng padi, Gabing uwak, Gai jiu, Indivar, Kadauk-sat, Kakapola, Karinkoovalam, Kelayar, Khakhiat, Lestalesan, Lochkor ara, Nanka, Ninlabon, Nirkancha, Nukha, Oval-leaf-pondweed, Pa hen, Pak kha khied, Panikasu, Phak e-hin, Phak khiat, Pickerel-weed, Rau choc, Sadom, Saklong, Wewehan, Ya she cao, Yan re miao

Synonyms:

Pontederia vaginalis N. L. Burman;
Boottia mairei H. Léveillé;
Monochoria linearis (Hasskarl) Miquel;
Monochoria ovata Kunth;
Monochoria plantaginea Kunth;
Monochoria vaginalis var. pauciflora (Blume) Merrill;
Monochoria vaginalis var. plantaginea (Roxburgh) Solms;
Pontederia linearis Hasskarl;
Pontederia ovata Hooker & Arnott (1837), not Lin-naeus(1753);
Pontederia pauciflora Blume;
Pontederia plantaginea Roxburgh;

Mukia maderaspatana

Edible: Leaves, Fruit, Seeds

A herb. It is a pumpkin family plant. It keeps growing from year to year. It can be climbing or have the stems trail along the ground. They are 3 m long. They have bristly hairs. The tendrils and thin and simple. The leaves are spear shaped or almost triangle shaped. They can have lobed and teeth. They are 2-9 cm long and 5 mm wide. The fruit are berries. They are in groups of 1-7 on short stalks. They are clustered in the axils of the leaves. They are red. The plant varies a lot.

Probably now Cucumis maderaspatana.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in forest and along rivers. It is often on sandy soils. It grows in savannah grassland. It grows between 300-1,250 m above sea level. In the Indian Himalayas it grows between 1,300-2,100 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Madras pea pumpkin, Chirati, Rough bryony,  Agumaki, Bilari, Bristly bryony, Cauqua nham, Chirati, Choti kakdi, Galgughri, Ghugri, Goi gawasi, Guliya-kakri, Gwala kakri, Heen kekeri, Hurya kakdi, Ilayam, Killari, Kooturubudama, Madras sea pumpkin, Math ghughri, Mosu mosu keerai, Mukkalpeeram, Mukkapeera, Musumusukkai, Noogudosa, Pahari kakharu, Telakucha

Synonyms: Byonia cordifolia L.;
Bryonia scabrella L.;
Coccinia cordifolia (L.) Cogn.;
Cucumis maderaspatana Linn.;
Melothria maderaspatana (Linn.) Cogn.;
Mukia scabrella Arn.;
and others
 

Muntingia calabura

Edible: Fruit, Leaves - tea

A small tree up to 5-12 m high. The trunk is 15-20 cm across. Branches are wide spreading and almost horizontal. The young shoots are covered with hairs. The leaves are alternate and elliptical. They are 4-5 cm long and 3-4 cm wide. The leaves are unequal at the base. The leaves have teeth along the edge. The leaf is dark green on top and dull below. The flowers are small and white or cream. They occur as one or two in the axils of leaves. The fruit stalk is 1.5 cm long. The fruit are small red berries 1-2 cm across. They have many tiny seeds. The fruit are edible.

A tropical plant. It is native to the West Indies and South America. They suit sandy coral soils of low islands. They grow from sea level up to about 1000 m altitude in the tropics. They need a warm, sunny, sheltered position. In Argentina it grows up to 1,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In XTBG Yunnan.

Common Names: Panama berry, Acuruco, Aratiles, Bisilana, Bois de soie, Bois d'orme, Bois ramier, Bolina, Buah cheri, Cacanigua, Calabur, Calabura, Capulf, Capulin, Capulina, Capulin blanco, Capulin de comer, Carecillo, Cay trung ca, Cedrillo, Cedrillo majagua, Cereja-do-parana, Cereza, Cerezo caspi, Ceri, Cerri, Chapuli, Chichato, Chirriador, Chitato, Datiles, Guacimo hembra, Guasem, Guinda yunanasa, Huztlan, Hnget-thagya, Iumanasa, Jamaica cherry, Jam gas, Jam maram, Japanese strawberry tree, Jeymu, Kakhop, Kersen, Kerukup siam, Khoom somz, Krakob barang, Kresen, Latires, Mahaujo, Mai khom, Majagua, Majaguillo, Majaguito, Mat sam, Memiso, Memizo, Mullacahuayo, Nigua, Niguito, Niguo, Pasito, Pau de seda, Puan, Puyam, Puyan, Ratiles, Sachacapuli, Sarisa, Seresa, Shaina, Suji phal, Surrumbo, Takhon, Takhop farang, Takop farang, Tapabotija, Talok, Trung ca, Uvilla, Yumanasa, Yumanaza

Synonyms: 

Muntingia rosea H. Karst.;

Nageia nagi

Edible: Leaves, Seeds-oil

A shrub or tree. It grows to 20 m tall. The trunk can be 50 cm across. The bark is reddish brown. It peels in small thin flakes. The branches can be spreading or hanging. The leaves are opposite. The leaf stalks are twisted at the base. The leaf blade is 2-9 cm long by 0.7-3 cm wide. It is leathery. The male and female cones are separate. The cones are in the axils of the leaves. They can be single of in groups of up to 10. The female cones are round with bluish-green round seeds. These are 12 mm across.

It is a warm temperate plant. It grows in evergreen broad-leaved and oak forests in dry mountain sides and along streams. It grows from 200-1200 m altitude in S China. It suits hardiness zones 8-10.

Common Names: Broad-leaved podocarpus, Asian bayberry, Nagai podocarpus, Nagi, Zhu bai

Synonyms: 

Myrica nagi Thunberg;
Decussocarpus nagi (Thunberg) de Laubenfels;
Decussocarpus nagi var. formosensis (Dummer) Silba;
Nageia formosensis (Dum-mer) C. N. Page;
Nageia nagi var. formosensis (Dummer) Silba;
Nageia nankoensis (Hayata) R. R. Mill;
Podocarpus formosensis Dummer;
Podocarpus japonicus J. Nelson (1866), not Siebold ex End-licher (1847);
Podocarpus koshunensis (Kanehira) Kanehira;
Podocarpus nageia R. Brown ex Endlicher;
Podocarpus nagi (Thunberg) Pilger;
Podocarpus nagi var. koshunensis Kanehira;
Podocarpus nankoensis Hayata;

Nasturtium officinale

Edible: Leaves, Seeds, Herb, Spice, Vegetable

A cabbage family herb. It is a small leafy plant that grows in water and lasts for several years. It grows 30 cm high and has runners 2.5 m long. It has hollow stems and roots freely from the nodes. It branches freely. The leaves consist of 3 to 7 pairs of small leaflets then a larger leaflet at the end. The flowers are small and white and grow grow in a cluster. Flowers are not always produced and need days with more than 12 hours of sunlight to form. A small narrow curved seed pod about 2 cm long can develop. It grows attached to the banks of streams.

This is a temperate climate crop. It is common in tropical highland creeks especially those flowing off limestone hills. (pH 6.5-7.5) It needs to be in running water. In the tropics it occurs from about 1000 m up to at least 2900 m altitude. It grows in streams, ditches, lakes, swamps, marshes from near sea level to 3700 m altitude in China. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 4,100 m above sea level. It grows in wetlands. It suits plant hardiness zones 6-10. Tasmania Herbarium. In Yunnan. In Sichuan.

Common Names: Watercress, Acice, Agriaun, Agriao, Awa, Berro, Berro de agua, Berros, Brunnenhresse, Chu-lba-thpu, Chungol, Ciotole, Credou, Creisoun, Creixens, Crescione acquatico, Cresson de fontaine, Dou ban cai, Gerdeme, Gernounej, Gurnounch, Huwaireh, Ip komp, Kalanso, Kambere, Kapisi vai, Kenchi, Kiji, Kizmase, Komba, Kreson, Kuwmba, Kuzala, Kuzele, Lauridde, Lira, Lut-putiah, Mizu garashi, Ok 'oruro, Ota karesi, Pakimbita, Pa nan, Phak nam, Piriya halim, Qije, Sai yeung ts'oi, Salada air, Salada chai, Salade, Sawade, Sayur paret, Selada ayer, Selada sawah, Shimrayo, Shuicai, Silang-sag, Sim rayo, Sim sag, Su teresi, Talib shah, Talmera, Talmira, Tara mira, Tarmera, Taung-kya-gale, Termera, Tharmere, Tujik, Tusmask, Tuzik, Uotakuresu, Waci, Wakari, Xa lach xong, Xi yang cai, Ye qing cai

Synonyms: 

Arabis nasturtium Clairv.;
Baeumerta nasturtium P. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Schreb.;
Cardamine aquatica (Garsault) Nieuwl.;
Cardamine fontana Lam.;
Cardamine nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Borbas;
Nasturtium nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) H. Karst., nom. inval.;
Nasturtium officinale R. Br.;
Radicula nasturtium Cav., nom. illeg.;
Radicula nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Rendle & Britten;
Rorippa nasturtium Beck, nom. illeg.;
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (L.) Hayek;
Rorippa officinale (R. Br.) P. Royen;
Sisymbrium nasturtium Thunb., nom. illeg.;
Sisymbrium nasturtium-aquaticum L.;