Emilia coccinea

A compact annual herb growing 0.6 m tall with a spread of 0.3 m. Flowers July to October, with seeds ripening August to October. Hardy to UK zone 9 but frost-tender. Self-fertile with insect pollination. Adapts to light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils, preferring good drainage. Tolerates mildly acidic through mildly alkaline pH. Requires full sun and tolerates both dry and moist soils.

Description

A herb. It grows about 30-100 cm high. It has weak stems. They are hairy in the lower parts. The leaves are often purple underneath. The lower leaves are spoon shaped and 12 cm long by 5 cm wide. Higher leaves are 20 cm long by cm wide and do not have a leaf stalk. The flowers can be yellow, orange or red. They are showy and in compact heads. These are on long stalks at the top of the plant. The fruit is dry and 2-5 mm long.

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked. Added to salads or used as a potherb. The young leaves are chopped and cooked alone or with other vegetables such as peas or beans. Coconut milk is added and the dish is then eaten with a staple food such as rice.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are eaten raw in salads. They are also chopped and cooked. The taste is slightly acid and with a touch of bitterness. They are often mixed with other vegetables.

Medicinal Uses

The plant is said to be used medicinally for children, though no further details are recorded.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It is best in humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils. It needs a protected position in part shade. It is damaged by frost or drought. In Tanzania it grows from sea level to 2,000 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa*, Asia, Australia, Benin, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America, China, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Equatorial-Guinea, Europe, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pacific, Poland, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Southern Africa, South America, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Propagation

Sow seed in early spring in a greenhouse, barely covering it. Prick seedlings out into individual pots when large enough to handle and plant out after the last expected frosts. Seed can also be sown directly outdoors in situ in mid spring.

Other Uses

None known

Production

Leaves are collected during the rainy season.

Other Information

They are not popular. It is only of local importance. They are sometimes sold in local markets.

Notes

There are 24 Emilia species. It is used in medicine. In literature it has often been confused with Emilia lisowskiana.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Aninge, Chinguwo, Cupid's paintbrush, Etiologbo, Flora’s paintbrush, Kluapo, Limijang'ombe, Mukasa, Nhatuco, Red thistle, škrlatna emilija, Ulimi wa ngombe

References (27)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 41
• Alyegba, S. S. et al, 2013, Ethnobotanical Survey of Edible Wild Plants in Tiv Communities of Benue State, Nigeria. Journal of Natural Sciences Research. Vol.3, No.7
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 195 (As Emilia sagittata)
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 379
• Boedecker, J., et al, 2014, Dietary contribution of Wild Edible Plants to women’s diets in the buffer zone around the Lama forest, Benin – an underutilized potential. Food Sec. 6:833–849

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