Nymphoides indica
(L.) O. Kuntze
Water snowflake, Floating heart
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(c) Sylvain Piry, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sylvain Piry
iNaturalist· cc0
no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子
Summary
Source: WikipediaNymphoides indica is an aquatic plant in the Menyanthaceae, native to tropical areas around the world. It is sometimes cultivated, and has become a minor weed in Florida, where it resembles the native Nymphoides aquatica. Common names include banana plant, robust marshwort, and water snowflake;
Description
A herb which grows in water. It keeps growing from year to year. The roots are attached to the mud. The rhizomes are horizontal. The stem is like a cylinder and unbranched. It grows 1-2 m tall. The leaf stalk is like a cylinder. The leaf blade is 3-18 cm across. The leaf floats on the water. The leaf is round but with a heart shaped base. There are many flowers which are clustered at the nodes. The flowers are 1-2.5 cm across. They are white but can have a yellow base. The seeds are brown, round and 1-1.5 mm across. The seed coat is smooth. The capsules are oval and with few seeds. The capsules are 3-5 mm across.
Edible Uses
The flowers are eaten raw with fish sauce. The stalks and flower stalks are eaten cooked. The fruit are boiled or used in curries. The underground parts (rhizomes and roots) and leaf stalks are boiled and eaten as a vegetable. Leaf stalks are sold in local markets.
Traditional Uses
The flowers are eaten raw with fish sauces. The stalks and flower stalks can be eaten cooked. The fruit are eaten boiled or used in curries. The underground parts and leaf stalks are used as a vegetable. They are boiled and eaten.
Medicinal Uses
An emollient plaster is made from the stems, leaves and flowers when extracting small shot from wounds of a hunting accident.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It suits tropical and subtropical locations. It grows in water 2 m deep. It grows in wetlands. It occurs in standing water below 100-1600 m. in China. Plants are damaged by frost. It grows in lakes, pools, swamps and rivers. It can dry up and re-grow. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,650 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.
Where It Grows
Africa, Asia, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Eswatini, Fiji, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, North America, Pacific Islands, Paraguay, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies*, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Cultivation
Plants can be grown by seed or by division of the runners.
Propagation
Seed - Plantlets are formed at the leaves and can be used for propagation.
Other Information
Leaf stalks are sold in local markets.
Notes
There are about 30 Nymphoides species.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Bara chulai, Bunga telepok, Chinnambel, Gagabuta, Hopapa-ho, Jin yin lian hua, Kanna kanda, Kanynguriny, Kya-linban, Lagartixa, Mardebulmardebulh, Panchuli, Pan seuli, Phak kanong ma, Ra rau rau, Sadom lachomkor ba, Skoun, Skuen damrei, Soldanela-d'agua, Thariktha-macha, White fringe, Yin-lien-hua
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