Some 3 billion people in the world live outside the cash economy in the world’s poorest nations. Food security and regular supply are their daily concerns. Chronic malnutrition is a leading cause of death and disease for them. Young children are amongst the most affected. One child every 5-10 seconds dies from undernutrition. Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness for someone every minute. Most people in tropical and subtropical countries are iron deficient.
Our goal is to provide information that enables people to choose the right plant for their environment, to give them stable food production and a greater choice of plants to enrich their diets and improve their nutritional wellbeing.
The plant fact sheets listed in this collection are only a small portion of those available from FPI. Please check your plant inquiries in the ECHO Search and reference the FPI plant database for further information.
Most of the plants selected to list here are further described in country-specific publications by Food Plant Solutions (FPS in the Search).
8000 Starchy Staples
7000 Legumes
6000 Leafy Greens
5000 Fruits
4000 Vegetables
3000 Nuts, Seeds, Herbs, and other foods
841 Issues in this Publication (Showing issues - 8000) Previous | Next
Justicia gendarussa
Edible: Leaves, Leaves - tea
A shrub. It grows 1-4 m tall. It is often used as a hedge. It has purple and green smooth twigs. The leaves are sword shaped. They are 6-10 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. They are pointed at the end. The flowers are small and in 4-12 cm long spikes. The flowers occur in erect spikes. These can be at the end of the plant or in the axils of leaves. The flowers are white.
A tropical plant. It grows near the edges of forests and near river banks up to 1,500 m above sea level. At MARDI. In Yunnan.
Common Names: Addasaramu, Aduthoda gida, Bakas, Bawanet, Bishalya-karani, Bo Dajagipe, Bo gu xiao, Gandharasamu, Gandarusa, Gendarusa, Htingra-hpraw, Jagatmadan, Kah-gai-daeng, Kalaadulsa, Karinekki, Karinochil, Karunochchi, Kukurodonti, Mchul peech, Nallanochilli, Natchu kaddi, Nelavavili, Nila-nirgundi, Nilinargandi, Pha-wa-net, Tao, Tita-bahak, Titiria-sosoarong, Udisanbhalu, Vadaikkuthi, Vatcnkolli
Synonyms:
Dianthera subserrata Blanco;
Dicliptera rheedei Kostel.;
Ecbolium gendarussa (Burm.f.) Kuntze;
Gendarussa vulgaris Nees;
Justicia gandarussa L.f.;
Justicia vulgaris Nees.;
Hyptianthera stricta
Edible: Leaves
A shrub or small tree. It grows 2-8 m tall. The branches are flattened and angled. The leaves are oblong and 5-15 cm long by 1-5 cm wide. The flowers are small and white. The fruit are yellowish-green berries. They are 8-9 mm longb by 5-6 mm wide.
It is a tropical plant. It grows in forests, along streams and on mountains between 100-1,500 m above sea level. In Yunnan.
Common Names: Kyetyo, Pashuang
Synonyms:
Hypobathrum strictum (Roxb. ex Schult.) Kurz;
Hyptianthera bracteata Craib;
Macrocnemum strictum Roxb. ex Schult.;
Randia stricta (Roxb. ex Schult.) Roxb.;
Rondeletia stricta (Roxb. ex Schult.) Roth;
Solena stricta (Roxb. ex Schult.) D. Dietr.;
Hyptis suaveolens
Edible: Leaves - tea, Seeds, Leaves, Spice, Vegetable
A herb which keeps growing from year to year. It grows 70 cm high. It can grow as an annual and can be 3 m high. The stems are rounded in the lower sections and 4-angled higher up. They are hollow. They are hairy. The leaves are produced opposite each other. They have teeth around the edge. They have a strong minty smell when crushed. The leaves are 3-10 cm long by 2-7 cm wide. They have a wavy edge and are rough underneath. The flowers are produced in small clusters in the axils of leaves. The flowers are blue. The fruit are papery brown capsules. The fruit consists of 2 nutlets. They are 3-4 mm long and flattened. They are dark brown.
A tropical plant. It grows in dry open locations. It can grow along streams and near roadsides. It can grow up to 1300 m altitude in Papua New Guinea. It grows in seasonally dry climates. In China it grows in open waste places in southern China. In Costa Rica it grows below 1,200 m altitude.
Common Names: Amotan, Ara gusumpuru, Bhambairam, Bhunsri, Bilati tulsi, Bilayati tulsi, Bointim, Bush tea-bush, Chan, Chia gordo, Dimbubuha, (es) th(ow)m, t(is)a t(oo) d(aj)i, Ganga tulsi, Gros baume, Hierba de las muelas, Jangli silam, Jukut bau, Kara, Konivari, Lampesan, Loko-loko, Lubabibe, Maeng lak kha, Malbar hutan, Mang-kamang, Mintweed, Mrubria, Padja-de-musquito, Palha-mosquito, Pokpok kemangi, Purado, Sangura, Selaseh hutan, Shan xiang, Suob-kabayo, Vilyati tulsi, Wilayati tulsi, Wild basil, Wild spikenard
Synonyms:
Ballota suaveolens L.;
Bysteropogon graveolens (L.) Blume;
Marrubium indicum Thunb. non Burm.f.;
Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze;
Schauera graveolens (L.) Hasskarl;
Intsia bijuga
Edible: Seeds, Leaves
A tree which grows along the foreshore. It is 30-50 m tall. The trunk can be 15 m long. It has small buttresses. The trunk can be 60-90 cm across. The bark peels off in circular flakes. The crown is spreading and leaves often fall off. The leaves are divided along the stalk. The leaf is 25 cm long. There are 2 pairs of leaflets. These leaflets are oval and often different on each side of the midrib. They are shiny green. They are 8-14 cm long by 6-11 cm wide. The flower panicle has many flowers densely together and they are at the end of a branch. The petals are often crinkled and can be white or red. The stamens are dark red. The flowers have a pleasant smell. The fruit is a pod which is oblong and flat. It has a short beak. There are veins along the valves. The pod is 14-28 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. There are 2-4 or more seeds which are flat and 2-2.5 cm across.
It is a tropical plant. It usually occurs in the lowlands close to the coast. It can tolerate wet soils. It can grow in areas which are occasionally flooded. It is often on limestone. It can grow on atolls. It suits a pH of 6.1 to over 7.4. It can tolerate salty soils. It can tolerate salt spray. It grows on the side of tidal rivers. It is usually in areas with a rainfall of 1500-2300 mm per year. It is drought resistant. It grows best with temperatures around 26-27°C. It cannot tolerate temperatures below 17°C. It grows best in full sun. In Papua New Guinea it grows from sea level to 450 m altitude. In Madagascar it is usually below 50 m altitude.
Common Names: Ai-besi, Bon, Borneo teak, Choyo, Cohu, Dort, Fara, Faux teck, Fehi, Fesi, Go nuoc, Gugura, Huhula, Iban, Ifet, Ifilele, Ifit, Intsy, Ipil, Ipil-talao, Kebuk, Kivili, Kohu, Kubok, Kubuk, Kuren, Maka, Malapari, Marbau ayer, Mboan, Menau, Merbau asam, Merbau changkat, Merbau laut, Mityanmis, Moluccan ironwood, N'tor, Nator, Natora, Nkengia, Nyia nwola, Pohon merbau asam, Pohon merbau borneo, Pra du tale, Rurula, Saga-lun, Show, Tagal-tugas, Tat-talum, Thort, Tor, Tora, Tuamis, U'ula, Vehi, Vei, Vesi dina, Vesi, Vesiwai, Wantal, Zolt, Zort
Synonyms: Afzelia bijuga (Colebr.) A. Gray;
Afzelia cambodiensis Hance;
Afzelia retusa Kurz.;
Albizia bijuga (Colebr.) A. Gray;
Eperua decandra Blanco;
Intsia amboinensis Thouars. ex DC.;
Intsia cambodiensis (Hance) Pierre;
Intsia retusa (Kurz.) O. Kuntze;
Macrolobium bijugum Colebr.;
Iresine herbstii
Edible: Leaves, Leaves - colouring, Spice, Plant - tea
A perennial herb up to 1-2 m high and spreads 1.5 m across. The stem is erect and branching. It is usually dark red and has bowl shaped leaves. The leaves can be green, red, yellow or orange and with patterns of colours. The leaves are 2.5-5 cm long. The leaf stalk is 1-5 cm long. The veins have contrasting colours. The flowers are greenish yellow. They occur in spikes at the end of branches. These can be 10-40 cm long.
A tropical plant. It grows between 500 and 2500 m altitude in the tropics near the equator. It is killed by frost. It does best in a rich, moist, well drained soil. It needs a protected sunny position. It can grow in shade. It cannot tolerate drought. It needs a temperature above 10°C. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. In Yunnan.
Common Names: Agila abaule, Angela belaube, Herbst Bloodleaf, Hong mu er, Labuinsiptaha, Mianqneil, Miyana mangkuk, Nhunghoa
Synonyms:
Achyranthes verschaffeltii Lam.;
Hydrilla verticillata
Edible: Leaves
A plant which grows under water. The stem is much branched. It is 15-30 cm long. The leaves are carried in rings. They are light green and sword shaped. They are 1-2 cm long by 0.2-0.5 cm wide. The leaves have fine teeth along the edge. These teeth allow light through. The leaves can have reddish-brown dashes. It develops white corms on the stolons in the soil.
It grows in warmer places in slow moving streams and lakes. It can grow in water 3-5 m deep. It is used as an aquarium plant. In Pakistan it grows to 2,000 m altitude.
Synonyms:
Hydrilla ovalifolia Rich.;
Hydrilla polysperma Blatter;
Serpicula verticillata Linn. f.;
Vallisneria verticillata Roxb.;
Dactyloctenium aegyptium - Comb Fringe Grass
Edible Portion: Seeds, Cereal, Rhizome, Root
An annual grass. The stems are slender. They can lie along the ground. These can form roots at the nodes. They can have runners and form mats. It is 15-60 cm high. The edges of the leaf sheaths have small hairs. The leaf blades are flat and 5-20 cm long by 0.2-0.6 cm wide. The surfaces are lumpy/hairy. It tapers to the tip. The flowers spread like fingers on a hand. There are 2-9 flower stalks. They are long and narrow. They often spread out horizontally. The spikes are on one side of the stalk. The tip is bare. The seed grains are about 1 mm across.
Hordeum vulgare - Barley
Edible Portion: Seeds, Cereal, Seeds - Tea
An erect annual grass. It grows 80-120 cm tall. The nodes are solid and the internodes are hollow. The leaves are narrow. There are 5-10 leaves. They are produced alternately on opposite sides of the stem at the nodes. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped and 5-40 cm long by 0.5-1.5 cm wide. The flowers are greenish. Flowers have long awns. The fruit is a grain. It is oval and narrow. There are a range of named cultivated varieties.
Ipomoea batatas - Sweet Potato
Edible Portion: Tuber, Root, Leaves, Vegetable
This is a root crop which produces long creeping vines. The leaves are carried singly along the vine. Leaves can vary considerably from divided like fingers on a hand to being entire and rounded or heart shaped. At the end of the vine, trumpet shaped flowers grow. They are purple. Under the ground fattened tubers are produced. There are a large number of varieties which vary in leaf shape and colour, tuber shape, colour, texture and in several other ways.
Colocasia esculenta - Taro
Edible Portion: Corm, Leaves, Stalks, Vegetable, Root, Flowers
This plant has large flat leaves on the end of upright leaf stalks. It grows up to 1 m high. The leaf stalk or petiole joins the leaf towards the centre of the leaf. The leaves are 20-50 cm long. Near the ground a thickened rounded corm is produced. Around this plant their is normally a ring of small plants called suckers. Many different varieties occur. If left to maturity, a lily type flower is produced in the centre of the plant. It has a spathe 15-30 cm long which is rolled inwards. The flowers are yellow and fused along the stalk. There are many named cultivated varieties.
Taro comes in two basic forms. The Dasheen type Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta and Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum or the Eddoe type. The basic difference is the adaptation of the Eddoe type to storage and survival in seasonally dry places, while the dasheen type needs to be maintained in a more or less continuously growing vegetative stage. These are now recognised as separate species names.
