Hybanthus enneaspermus

(Linn.) F v. Muell.

Spade flower

Violaceae Edible: Fruit, Plant, Leaves

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Description

An erect herb or bush. It grows 45-60 cm high. It varies a lot. The stems have ribs along them and also hairs. The leaf blades are 206 cm long by 3-9 mm wide. The edges of the leaves are rolled inwards. The flowers have 2 small petals that are cream or green and 2 larger petals that are cream with orange tips and one larger petal that is spoon shaped and orange. The fruit is a capsule. The seeds have ridges along them.

Edible Uses

The whole plant is eaten fresh or made into a paste with milk, and is used to add sour flavour to meat and fish. The fruit, leaves, and plant parts are all edible.

Traditional Uses

The whole plant is eaten fresh or mixed into a paste with milk. It is used to add sour flavour to meat and fish.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in coastal savannah, grassland and roadsides up to 1,200 m altitude in West Africa. In north Australia it grows from sea level to 1,270 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, China, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, India, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Togo, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Notes

It has medicinal uses.

Synonyms

Hybanthus thesiifolius (Juss.) Hutch. & Dalz.Viola enneasperma L.

Also Known As

Dia plolo, Nonguele, Nonure, Orithalthamarai, Orithaz thamarai

References (7)

Achigan-Dako, E, et al (Eds), 2009, Catalogue of Traditional Vegetables in Benin. International Foundation for Science.
Arinathan, V., et al, 2007, Wild edibles used by Palliyars of the western Ghats, Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. 6(1) pp 163-168
Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 5. Kew.
Dansi, A., et al, 2008, Traditional leafy vegetables and their use in the Benin Republic. Genet Resour Crop Evol (2008) 55:1239–1256
Dansi, A., et al, 2009, Traditional leafy vegetables in Benin: folk nomenclature, species under threat and domestication. Acta Bot. Gallica 156(2), 183-199

Show all 7 references

Sarvalingam, A., et al, 2014, Wild edible plant resources used by the Irulas of the Maruthamalai Hills, Southern Western Ghats, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources 5(2):198-201
Tamil herbs, 2007, Edible Plants of the Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest.