Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets

Lespedeza cuneata

Edible: Leaves

A small shrub up to 1 m tall. The leaves have 3 leaflets. These are narrow. They are 10-25 mm long by 2-4 mm wide. There are hairs on the lower side of the leaf. There are 2-4 flowers in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are whitish-yellow with violet stripes near the base. The fruit are oval pods 3 mm long.

It is a subtropical plant. It grows on mountain slopes below 2500 m altitude in China. In Taiwan it grows on waste land up to 3,100 m altitude. In XTBG Yunnan. In Sichuan.

Common Names: Perennial lespedeza, Chinese lespedeza, Jie ye tie sao zhou

Synonyms: 

Anthyllis cuneata Dumon de Courset;
Hedysarum sericeum Thunberg;
Lespedeza argyrea Siebold & Zucc.;
Lespedeza sericea (Thunberg) Miquel;

Leucaena leucocephala

Edible: Leaves, Pods, Fruit, Seeds - coffee, Vegetable, Flowers

A small erect tree. It grows to 6-10 m high. It has fine divided leaves. The leaves have 2 rows of leaflets. The leaves are 15 to 25 cm long and the leaflets 8 to 16 cm long. They are a dark dull green on top and dull greyish green underneath. The flowers are white and in round heads. They are in the axils of leaves or on the ends of branches. The pods are flat and 10-15 cm long and 1.8 cm wide with 15-25 seeds inside. It has shiny brown seeds. There are 3 subspecies.

It is a tropical plant. It is introduced and common at low and medium altitudes throughout the tropics. It is widespread from sea level up to about 1700 m altitude in the tropics. It is often used as shade for coffee. It is drought resistant. It grows in the Sahel. It can grow on dry and poor soils. It can tolerate salt. It needs well drained soil and full sun. In Nepal it grows to 1400 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Leucaena, Ai-kafe, Aseik-pye, Aweya, Bak kased, Bawzagaing, Bochet, Caribbean tamarind, Cassie, Chigonglei angouba, Epil, Fuapepe, Guaje, Guaje verde, Hawaiian wattle, Horse Tamarind, Huajes, Ipil-ipil, 'ip'ipil, Jongta lem, Jumbie bean, Kamalandingan, Kaniti, Kanthumthet, Kased, Katin, Kawl-zawng-tah, Keo dau, Kok ka thin, Kraset, Krathan, Lamtoro seeds, Lasobaval, Lead tree, Liliaque, Lusia, Lusina, Mlusina, Nagarikesari, Nattuccavundal, Pelending, Petai china, Petai jawa, Peuteui selong, Phak kased, Phak ka thin, Pohon lamtoro, Popinac blanc, Ragarai, Rajokasundiri, Riopriop pen kune, Sneaky tree, Subabool, Takaranniram, Tangantangan, Telentund, Thin thai, Toira kadam, Vaivai, Vilayatibaral, White popinac, Wild tamarind, Wonderboom, Yod phak kased, Zongtasialnek

Synonyms: 

Acacia frondosa Willd.;
Acacia glauca (L.) Benth.;
Acacia leucocephala (Lam.) Link;
Leucaena glabra Benth.;
Leucaena glauca Benth.;
Leucaena latisiliqua (L.) Gillis;
Mimosa glauca L.;
Mimosa latisiliqua L.;
Mimosa leucocephala Lam.;

Limnophila indica

Edible: Leaves

A herb which keeps growing from year to year. It grows in water. The stems can be branched. They are slender and 15-30 (-90) cm long. They can be erect or lie over. The top rises out of the water. These aerial stems have glands while the under water stems are smooth. The leaves above the water are arranged in whorls or rings and are only partly divided. They are 4-12 cm long. The leaves smell of turpentine when crushed. The under water leaves can be 30 cm long and in whorls or rings of 6-12. They are often finely divided. The flowers are produced singly in the axils of leaves. The have stalks 3.5-10 mm long. The flower is pink or purple. The tube is slender and like a cylinder. The fruit is an oval capsule 4 mm long. It splits into 4 vales. There are many seeds inside. They are 0.5 mm long.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in marshy areas and the edges of fresh water ponds. It can grow in shallow water. It grows in wetlands. In Papua New Guinea it grows from sea level to 2,000 m altitude.

Common Names: Ambuja, Ambuli, Chottar arxa, Kado sag, Karpur, Kedo sag, Keralata, Kuttra, Losod ara, Manganari, Namha hemcha, Olonan, Turati, Vhottor arkha

Synonyms: 

Limnophila gratioloides R.Br.;
Limnophila racemosa Benth.;

Limonia acidissima

Edible: Fruit, Leaves

A small deciduous tree. It grows 4-15 m tall. It has many slender branches. The branches have straight spines 4 cm long. It has thorns. The needle like spines are 3-8 cm long. The leaves are up to 12 cm long. The leaves are made up of leaflets with a leaflet at the end. There are 2-3 pairs of opposite leaflets. They are 4 cm long. They have oil glands and a slight smell when crushed. They smell of aniseed. The flowers are small. They have 5 petals. The anthers are large and brown. The flowers are white, greenish or purple. They occur in lax flower arrangements either in the axils or at the end of branches. The fruit has a hard shell. It is round and 10 cm across. The pulp is soft and red. It is edible. There are many seeds. The seeds are 5-6 mm long and hairy. It is brown when ripe. Fruit size and sweetness vary.

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in monsoonal or seasonally dry climates in the tropics. It is common on the drier Deccan in India. It grows up to 1500 m altitude. It needs a fertile, well-drained soil. It needs full sun. It grows in drier regions. It can tolerate some salinity. It grows up to 450 m altitude in the western Himalayas. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Common Names: Wood apple, Bela, Belingei, Belinggai, Bilin, Bilva, Can thang, Dimbul, Diwul, Divul, Elephant's apple, Gelinggai, Indian wood apple, Jool, Kabut, Kaint, Kait, Kaith, Kaitha, Kapittha, Katbel, Kath bel, Kavath, Kavatha, Kavit, Kavith, Kavitha, Kawat, Kawath, Kawista, Kawoth, Kayeth bael, Keiri, Kodbel, Koethbel, Kotha, Kothi, Kothun, Kovit, Kramsang, Kusta, Kutbel, Kvoet, Kwet, Mak-pyen-sum, Ma sang, Mafit, Makhwit, Pohon buah kinco, Thi, Thibin, Vakandra, Velaga, Velaga pandu, Velambalam, Vila, Vilanga, Vilatti, Villa, Villati

Synonyms: 

Anisifolium limonia Kuntze;
Crateva balangas K. D. Koenig;
Crateva vallanga Koenig;
Feronia balanghas (K. D. Koenig) Steud.;
Feronia elephantum Correa;
Feronia limonia (L.) Swingle;
Hesperethusa acidissima M. Roem.;
Hesperethusa ambigua M. Roem.;
Limonia elephantum (Correa) Panigrahi;
Limonia pinnatifolia Houtt.;
Murraya odorata Blanco;
Schinus limonia L.;

Liquidamber formosana

Edible: Leaves

A deciduous tree. It grows 18 m high and spreads 9 m wide. It can grow 40 m tall. The trunk is straight. The tree is broadly cone shaped. The bark is grey-white and becomes darker and cracked with age. The leaves usually have 3 lobes. The leaves are 13 cm long by 15 cm wide. The lobes taper to a point and have rounded teeth. The leaves are purple when young and become dark green before turning red to purple in autumn. The leaf stalks have a red tinge. The fruit are small and in clusters are 2.5-4 cm across.

It is a temperate plant. It is native to China and Taiwan. It grows in woods and thickets in mountainous areas. It suits hardiness zones 7-10. Mt Cootha Botanical Gardens. Arboretum Tasmania. In Sichuan.

Common Names: Chinese liquidamber, Formosan sweetgum, Chao, Cha phai, Fengxiangshu, Fragrant maple tree, Pohon getah manis cina, Sau sau

Synonyms: 

Liquidamber acerifolia Maxim.;
Liquidamber formosa var. monticola;
Liquidiamber maximoviczii Miq.;
Liquidiamber tonkinensis A. Chev.;

Ludwigia adscendens

Edible: Shoots, Leaves, Vegetable, Leaves - tea

A floating herb. It floats by means of white, air filled outgrowths. It grows 0.1-1 m tall. The stems are long, creeping and fleshy. They can lie along the ground or curve upwards. The stems can be 4 m long. They are rooted in the mud and they form roots at the nodes. The leaves are 3-5 cm long by 1.5-2.5 cm wide. They taper to the base and have a blunt tip. They are oblong and bright green. They are shiny and have a leafy structure at the base of the leaf stalk. The leaf stalk is long. The flowers occur in the axils of the upper leaves. The flowers are 1.8-2.5 cm across. They are creamy white with a yellow centre. The fruit is a capsule 1-2.5 cm long and shaped like a cylinder. It has 10 brown ribs. The seeds are pale brown and 1-1.5 mm long. They are embedded in dense corky tissue.

Common Names: Water primrose, Eseng kundo, Guo jiang long, Ishing-kundo, Jagal, Kamping puey, Kamping puyteuk, Kanabaw, Kesordam, Kesori ghah, Lay-hnyin-pan, Machali sag, Nal kimaro, Pang-poey-nam, Panikhutura, Phak phee phui, Rau dua, Thalijuria, Ye-hti-gayon

Synonyms: 

Jussiaea adscendens L.;
Jussiaea repens L.;

Luffa acutangula

Edible: Leaves, Fruits, Vegetable, Seeds, Seeds - oil, Flowers

A herb. It is a pumpkin family plant. It is an annual climber with square stems. They have 4 to 7 branched tendrils which attach to objects helping the plant to have a climbing habit. Leaves are pale green, hairy and shallowly five lobed. The leaves have a bad smell when rubbed. Male and female flowers are separate. Male flowers are in clusters, female flowers singly. (Ratio 43:1) Flowers open late in the afternoon and stay open during the night. The flowers are yellow. Fruit can be up to 40 cm long and with 10 long ridges. It is green-brown outside and white inside. Three varieties have been distinguished.

A tropical plant. It grows from sea level to 500 m altitude in the hot humid tropics. It won't tolerate excessive rainfall so does best in drier areas or in the dry season in wetter areas. Day temperatures above 25 °C are suitable. Some varieties require short day length. Adding additional nitrogen fertiliser can stimulate female flower formation in short day varieties. In Nepal it grows between 1000-1600 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Angled loofah, Ban-ghirola, Birakaya, Blustru, Boap liam, Bonion, Buap sagi, Buyo-buyo, Chinese okra, Daravetakolu, Dishcloth gourd, Emes, Esponga, Estropajo, Gambas, Ghisoda, Hirekayi, Hoyong, Jhika, Jhinga tori, Jhinga, Jhingana, Jhingli, Jhongaka, Jinga, Kabatiti, Kachur, Kala-kha-we, Kali tori, Kali, Kattu pirkuu, Ketola segi, Ketola, Kha-we-yaing, Kimput, Koshataki, Kul-hu-bi, Loofah, Looy, Manoi-liam, Metolak, Muop khai, Murop kai, Oyong, Papangay, Pate ghiraunla, Patola, Patolang, Peeram, Pekunkai, Petola sanding, Petola-sagi, Pichenga, Pirkankai, Pronthai, Ribbed gourd, Ridged gourd, Ronoong chrung, Sataputi, Shiri dodka, Shirola, Si gua, Silk gourd, Sze gwa, Taroi, Tha-but-nwe, Timput, Tokado-hechima, Torai, Vatakolu

Synonyms: 

Cucumis acutangulus L.;
Cucumis lineatus Bosc.;
Cucumis megacarpus G. Don;
Cucumis operculatus Roxb. ex Wight & Arn.;
Cucurbita acutangula (L.) Blume;
Cucurbita umbellata Klein ex Willd.;
Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. var. amara (Roxb.) C. B. Clarke;
Luffa amara Roxb.;
Luffa drastica Mart.;
Luffa fluminensis Roem.;
Luffa foetida Cav.;
Luffa forskalii Schweinf. ex Harms;
Luffa gosa Ham.;
Luffa umbellata (Klein ex Willd.) M. Roem.;
Momordica tubiflora Wall.;

Luffa cylindrica

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

A pumpkin family plant. It is an annual climber up to 10 m long. The stem is five angled and slightly hairy. The tendrils have 2 or 3 branches. Leaves are 10-20 cm across with five to seven lobes. Male and female flowers are separate and yellow. The male flowers occur as 4 to 20 flowers together while female flowers are solitary in the leaf axils. Flowers open in the early morning. The fruit is fairly smooth and cylindrical and can be 30 - 60 cm long. The seeds are black, flat and smooth and 10-15 mm long.

A tropical plant. It grows well in the tropical lowlands but will also grow in more temperate places. It does best with temperatures between 25-30°C. It is better suited to the drier season as too heavy a rainfall during flowering and fruiting is harmful. Soils should be well drained and moderately rich. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall between 1,000-1,800 mm. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,500 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows up to 1,000 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. In Yunnan.

Common Names: Smooth loofah, Vegetable sponge, Belustru, Bhol, Blustru, Boap hom, Boco, Chinkupule, Chisambo, Dadar, Dhundal, Dhundol pata, Dhundul, Dirgha patolika, Dishcloth gourd, Djadar, Djadra, Dudhul, Ekyangwe, Emes, Empenche, Esfregao, Esponja vegetal, Essancadaco, Estropajo, Fuaski, Futi, Ghia-torai, Ghiu toria, Ghiya tori, Ghosali, Ghuraunla, Guthibira, Hechima, Hey, Kabatiti, Kattupeechal, Ketola manis, Kisukulio, Kyangwe, Landjirco, Lidadochi, Lifa, Lipa, Lotorco, M'boa, Makwasaokwasa, Mantwatwa, Meethi-torai, Metolak, Metowo, Mozhuku pirkankai, Muop huong, Muop, Musaka saka, Nanua, Niyan-wetakolu, Nonong prakaer, Nsanu, Ntembere, Nterater, Nsanu, Ogiogi, Olok, Patola, Petola buntal, Petola manis, Petulo panjang, Pichuknu, Pipino-di-lobo, Pipino-di-mato, Pir rorogo, Poente, Pronthai, Rajakoshataki, Saysay-ot, Si gua, Sponge gourd, Sze kwa, Taku, Tangmui, Tha-but-chaw, Thabut-kha, Tha-but-nwe, Thenpon, Thoraa, Toorai, Tuppahirekai, Turia, Umpawng, Vatakolu, Xifenhu

Synonyms: 

Luffa aegyptiaca Miller;
Luffa aegyptiaca Miller var. peramara Bailey;
Luffa fricatoria Donde;
Luffa insularum Donde;
Luffa leucosperma M. Roem.;
Luffa pentandra Roxb.;
Luffa racemosa Roxb.;
Luffa sylvestris Miq.;
Luffa leiocarpa (Naudin) F. Muell.;
Momordica cylindrica L.;
Momordica luffa L.;

Lumnitzera racemosa

Edible: Leaves

A shrub or small tree. It grows to 4-8 m tall and spreads to 1-2 m wide Young plant parts have small hairs. The bark is rough and dark grey and has slight cracks along it. The leaves are often clustered near the ends of branches. They are arranged in spirals. The leaves are oval and 3-6 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. They are rounded at the tip and taper at the base. They are leathery and light green. There is often a notch at the tip of the leaf. The flowering stalks in the axils of leaves are branched and produce 3-7 flowers. The flowers are fleshy and white. The flower lobes are triangular and petals are 4 mm long by 1 mm wide. The fruit is narrow and oval. It is 12 mm long by 4 mm wide. The fruit is fibrous and has a single seed.

A tropical plant. It normally grows in mud flats which are flooded by the tide. It is normally near river mouths where fresh water also flows.

Common Names: White flowered black mangrove, Burevi, Dawai-hmaing, Duduk laki-laki, Duduk, Eilk-pathwe, Fat, Kadivi, Katakkantal, Kikandaa, Kripa, Mkandaa-dume,Mkandaa-mwitu, Spring-tide mangrove, Thandara, Tipparathai, Truntum bunga puteh, Tunda, Yinye

Lycopersicon esculentum

Edible: Fruit, Spice, Vegetable, Leaves

A short lived perennial plant. It is upright but with weak stems. It can grow to 2 m tall with support for the stems. The stems have long hairs. It is bad smelling. The leaves are deeply lobed with an odd number of leaflets. They have irregular teeth around the edge. There are up to 12 star shaped flowers on each raceme. Flowers are yellow. The fruit are round and red when ripe. Yellow coloured fruit also occur. There are many varieties.

A warm temperate plant. It grows from sea level to 2400 m altitude in the tropics. It needs to be grown in fertile soil. For best production it requires much water, plenty of sunshine and low night temperatures. For germination it does best between 20-30°C. It is frost susceptible. A pH of 6.0-7.9 is best. In Nepal it grows to 1400 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Common Names: Tomato, Baingan, Bunyanya bunyoro, Domado, Domate, Esalamejei, Faan kee, Golbhera, Kamatis, Kha-ran-chine, Khayan-gyin, Kibongi, Komidira, Lumantu, Ma-khay-sut, Makheua thet, Matamba, Ma-thamba, Mutamatisi, Nyanya, Peng pahs, Ta-gaw-lay, Takkali, Tamata, Tamatar, Tamatis, Thakkali, Tomat, Tomata, Tomatar, Tomati, Tumatur, Vanji, Vilayithi vengan, Vilayithi

Synonyms: Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsten;
Lycopersicon esculentum P. Miller;
and many others