Melanthera biflora
| Melanthera biflora | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Subfamily: | Asteroideae |
| Tribe: | Heliantheae |
| Genus: | Melanthera |
| Species: | M. biflora |
| Binomial name | |
| Melanthera biflora (L.) Wild. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Acmella biflora (L.) Spreng. | |
Melanthera biflora,[1] also known as Sea Daisy, Beach Daisy and Sea Ox-Eye, (Hindi: Bhringaraaja; Malay: Serunai laut, Pokok serunai; Fijian: Kovekove, Sekava; Maldivian: Mirihi; Samoan: Ateate; Tongan: Ate), is a species of flowering plant in the aster family. It is a rough-looking and fast-growing plant with a wide distribution.
Distribution
Melanthera biflora is a moderately salt-tolerant plant found in the tropical belt of the Indo-Pacific region. It is found commonly in islands and in coastal areas, although it sometimes occurs inland in neglected and unmanaged plantations and in ruderal environments.[2]
Together with Portulaca oleracea, Ipomoea pes-caprae and Digitaria ciliaris, Melanthera biflora is usually one of the first species colonizing degraded or altered environments in tropical zones of the planet.[3]
Description
Melanthera biflora is a hardy, sprawling perennial herb that can reach up to 2 m but its stem is not strong and will bend after reaching a certain height. It can scramble and straggle over the ground or climb leaning on other plants for support. The leaves are ovate, shortly tapering at the base. It produces small yellow flower heads with a diametre of about 8-10 mm. The fruits form a dense head.[4]
 General appearance of the shrub. |
 Flowers. |
Uses
Despite the rough appearance of the plant, the leaves are edible.[5][6] In Malaysian cuisine the shoots are eaten cooked as a leaf vegetable and in Langkawi they are eaten raw with chilli and sambal shrimp paste. Leaves also have traditional medicinal uses as poultice or as decoction.[7][8] Root extracts have anthelmintic properties[9] and flowers can be used as a purgative.[10]
This plant is also used as fodder for rabbits.
See also
References
- ↑ 'Melanthera biflora' The Plant list
- ↑ Response of Melanthera biflora to Salinity and Water Stress
- ↑ Heatwole, H., Done, T., Cameron, E. Community Ecology of a Coral Cay, A Study of One-Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Series: Monographiae Biologicae, Vol. 43, p. 102
- ↑ Melanthera biflora (L.) Wild - Atlas of Living Australia
- ↑ Ecoport
- ↑ Melanthera biflora - Useful Tropical Plants
- ↑ Globinmed - Wedelia biflora
- ↑ Rules for Maldivian Trading Ships Travelling Abroad (1925)
- ↑ Cheryll Williams, Medicinal Plants in Australia Volume 4: An Antipodean Apothecary, Volume 4, p. 58
- ↑ "Hagonoi / Wedelia Biflora". Philippine Medicinal Plants. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
External links
Media related to Melanthera biflora at Wikimedia Commons- Hanson, A.D. et al. Biosynthesis of 3-dimethylsulfoniopropionate in Wollastonia biflora (L.) DC.