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Justicia tenella

(Nees) T. Anderson

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Bart Wursten, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Bart Wursten

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Ganjar Cahyadi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

(c) Bart Wursten, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

Description

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The stems are spindly and 40 cm long. It can keep growing for a few years. It often forms roots at the lower nodes. Probably now Anisostachya tenella (Nees) Lindau;

Edible Uses

The leaves are used as a vegetable and represent a major leafy vegetable in northwest Benin, where it is sold in markets.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are used as a vegetable.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It often grows along rivers and in moist forest. It grows in savannah and palm groves.

Where It Grows

Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, West Africa,

Cultivation

It can be grown from seeds or cuttings.

Propagation

Seed - Cuttings. Stems often form roots at their lower nodes and these can be used to form new plants.

Other Information

It is a major leafy vegetable in NW Benin. It is sold in markets.

Synonyms

Anisostachya tenella (Nees) LindauEcbolium tenellum (T. Anderson) KuntzeJusticia crenulata (Nees) PalackyRostellaria parviflora Benth.Rostellaria tenella NeesRostellularia crenulata NeesRostellularia parviflora Benth.Rostellularia tenella NeesRungia baumannii LindauStrobilanthes crenulata Bojer ex Nees

Also Known As

Atchelikema, Dimouniontchoro, Djagudjagu, Dogbo-ountakoui, Kourokountonu, Kurokuntonu, Kurokuro, Parbatukpekperiya, Tiletoussi, Tinoukounti

References (10)

  • Achigan-Dako, E, et al (Eds), 2009, Catalogue of Traditional Vegetables in Benin. International Foundation for Science.
  • Achigan-Dako, E. G., et al, 2011, Diversity, Geographical and Consumption Patterns of Traditional Vegetables in Benin. Economic Botany. 65(2), pp 129-145
  • Achigan-Dako, E. G., et al, (Eds.), 2010. Traditional vegetables in Benin. Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin. Imprimeries du CENAP, Cotonou. p 89
  • Adeoti, K., et al, 2011, Assessment of genetic diversity among accessions of two traditional leafy vegetables (Acmella uliginosa L.) and Justicia tenella (Nees)consumed in Benin. African Journal of Biotechnology Vo. 10(15): pp 2811-2819
  • Avouhou, H. T., et al, 2012, Ethnobotanical Factors Influencing the Use and Management of Wild Edible Plants in Agricultural Environments in Benin. Ethnobotany Research & Applications Vol 10:571-592
Show all 10 references
  • 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, 2012, Diversity of the Neglected and Underutilized Crop Species of Importance in Benin. The Scientific World Journal. Volume 2012, Article ID 932947, 19 pages
  • Koukou, E., et al, 2022, Local knowledge of agricultural biodiversity and food uses in two agroecological zones of southern Benin. Ethnobotany Research and Applications 23:29 (2022) p 6 (As Anisostachya tenella)
  • Nyadanu, D., et al, 2015, Agro-biodiversity and challenges of on-farm conservation: the case of plant genetic resources of neglected and underutilized crop species in Ghana. Genet. Resourc. Crop Evol. 62(7):
  • Segnon, A. C. and Achigan-Dako, E. G., 2014, Comparative analysis of diversity and utilization of edible plants in arid and semi-arid areas in Benin. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 10:80

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