Alternanthera sessilis

Alternanthera sessilis is a flowering plant known by several common names, including sissoo spinach, Brazilian spinach, sessile joyweed, dwarf copperleaf. It is cultivated as a vegetable worldwide.

Description

A low lying and spreading herb which has many branches. It continues to grow from year to year. It has a strong taproot. The stem and branches are up to 60-100 cm long and near the ends there are 2 lines of hairs along the stem. The leaves are smooth and attached to the stem without a stalk. They are opposite. The leaves are 1-10 cm long and 0.2-2 cm wide. The flowers heads are white and 5 to 7 mm long. They grow along the plant and do not have flower stalks. It flowers all year round. The fruit are oval and compressed on the side. The seed is about 1.5 cm across. When plants are growing in water the stems become hollow and the plants float.

Edible Uses

The leaves and tender tips are cooked and eaten in soups, boiled, baked, or fried. The plant is also used to prepare a cool drink. It is a commercially cultivated potherb popular in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, sold in markets year-round. Fresh harvested leaves can only be stored for 2–3 days.

Traditional Uses

The leaves and tender tips are cooked and eaten. They are used in soups. They are boiled or baked or fried. It is also used to prepare a cool drink. The harvested leaves can only be stored for 2-3 days.

Medicinal Uses

The plant grows wild, but is also cultivated for food, herbal medicines, and as an ornamental plant. The aquarium plant Alternanthera reineckii is sometimes misidentified as A. sessilis. In certain regions of South East Asia, the leaves and young shoots are consumed as vegetables. In South Asia the leaves, flowers and tender stems are consumed as vegetables. The plants are shredded finely and stir fried with grated coconut and spices to make a salad-like dish that is most commonly eaten as a rice accompaniment. The leaves are crunchy, slightly more so than the temperate climate spinach, and not slimy. Some cultivars are slightly bitter. They require steaming or boiling when eaten in large quantities because of the presence of oxalates. It is eaten alone as a green or added to other dishes as a spinach substitute. Reportedly, Brazilians usually eat it raw in salads with oil and or vinegar, tomato, and onion, although the literature recommends cooking it. The vegetable can be added to quiches, pies, curries, dals, pasta sauces, lasagna or added to dishes and stir-fries late in the cooking process as a spinach substitute and to add a nutty flavour. As a herbal medicine, the plant has diuretic, cooling, tonic and laxative properties. It has been used for the treatment of dysuria and haemorrhoids. The plant is also believed to be beneficial for the eyes, and is used as an ingredient in the making of medicinal hair oils and kajal.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowlands and the highlands. It occurs in most tropical places. It is best in humid places. It is common in waste land at low and medium altitudes in the Philippines. It grows in open moist places from sea level to 2,000 m in Papua New Guinea. In Fiji it grows from sea level to 500 m. In Nepal it grows to 2400 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It is best in alkaline soil. It can grow in seasonally water logged soils and near rivers and ditches. It grows in wetlands. In Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Algeria, America, American Samoa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central America, Chad, China, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Mali, Marquesas, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Africa, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Rotuma, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

It can be grown by dividing the underground stem. It can also be grown from sections which root at then nodes. It can be grown by seed.

Propagation

Seed - Division of underground stems. Nodal cuttings.

Production

The first harvest of leaves can be taken 50-60 days after planting.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. Plants are eaten in India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Plants are sold in markets. It is eaten year round and sold in markets. It is a popular potherb.

Notes

There are 200 Alternanthera species. Chemical composition (after Hooper): Water = 70.40% (fresh). Fat = 3.65% (dry). Albumenoids = 16.35% (dry). Carbohydrates = 47.99% (dry). Fibre = 11.47% (dry). Ash = 20.54% (dry). Nitrogen = 2.60% (dry). Phosphoric acid = .52% (dry). Silicates = 6.16% (dry). It enhances milk flow in mothers. It is high in proVitamin A.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Aankhle jhar, Achoukpa, Agoman, Anambalaza, Anamalaza, Anambararata, Angone soppu, Atakuluesuan, Bayam tanah, Bayang krema, Bayem keremah, Bhringi jhaar, Bhringisag, Bocha, Bunga-bunga, Chakai-saranch, Chanchi, Chhenchi shak, Chibonchi, Chuk-tsit-tsoi, Dhwgong jile, Dwarf cooperleaf, E luo er la, Felikavola, Gamudi-sag, Gandi buti, Ganthiyu, Garundi arak, Gathni (Girni) sag, Geluti, Ghandugli, Giojihra, Gomi, Guinedene, Gundri sag, Gundru arxa, Guru-bhaji, Gwe, Ha-galdeb, Honagone soppu, Honogone sopu, Houngba, Houngbe, Ide, Imbuya, Jalajambe, Jibhkati, Jié jié huā, Kagama, Kalam sago, Kanchari, Kanchuri, Kanshinda, Keremek, Keremak, Kermak bukit, Khenchisak, Kindumbu, Kodukkachoppu, Koduppai keerai, Kozhuppa, Kuang kua, Lian zi cao, Lupo-lupo, Madanaganti, Madaranga, Matala, Mathi galdeb, Matikaduri, Minnamkkanni, Mkoswe, Mokunnu-wanna, Mucunuwenna, Mukunuwanna, Muti (Moti) sag, Ndumbwa, Nghate-ril, Nunia saag, Nunia shak, Pa biu, Pa lin, Pak-ped-nam, Paninibheju, Patang oying, Patur, Pazun-sar, Periquito-sessil, Phakchet, Phak kan tan, Phol-saranchi, Pokaty, Ponagani, Ponanganni, Ponangkanni, Ponnaganti, Ponnagantikura, Ponnankanni, Poonanghucunny keeray, Pounanganni, Pudoh, Pulagati kura, Racaba, Rau deu, Rau diep dai, Resang-mama, Salanchi-sak, Salanti, Sanchi shak, Saranchi sag, Saronchi, Sessile joyweed, Shalincha, Shanti shak, Taka ndumbu, Tandaleya, Tebetebe, Teta ndamba, Teta ndumbu, Tolod, Tomadohoungbem, Tshifumbe, Tsiataolana, U-tokreng, Vozane

References (155)

• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 903
• Achigan-Dako, E, et al (Eds), 2009, Catalogue of Traditional Vegetables in Benin. International Foundation for Science.
• Achigan-Dako, E. G., et al, (Eds.), 2010, Traditional vegetables in Benin. Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin. Imprimeries du CENAP, Cotonou.
• Ajain, M., Ali, T., & Siddiqui, M.F., 2015, A Survey of Ethnobotanically Important Herbaceous Plants of Tehsil Jatoi,District Muzaffar Garh, Punjab, Pakistan. Int. J. Biol. Res., 3(2): 87-92, 2015.
• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 32

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