Polygala chinensis

Polygalaceae Edible: Leaves, Leaves - tea 64 iNaturalist observations

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Description

An erect and slightly branched slender herb. The leaves are alternate and rarely in a ring around the stem. They are without a leaf like appendage at the base of the leaf stem. The flowers are at the ends or in the axils of branches. They are short long spikes or on short equal stalks equally placed along the central stem. The sepals usually remain on the plant. They are unequal and the 2 inner ones are large and like petals. The ovary has 2 cells and the ovules and one their own. The capsule is 2 celled and 2 seeded and small with separate cavities.

Edible Uses

The tender leaves are edible when cooked and can be prepared as tea.

Traditional Uses

The tender leaves are edible cooked.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

A tropical plant. They occur in Rizal, Laguna, Cavite and Mindanao in the Philippines. It occurs in Mumbai in India. In southern China it grows in grasslands between 500-1,100 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam,

Other Information

It is sold in local markets in China.

Notes

There are about 600 Polygala species.

Synonyms

Polygala telephoides Willd.Polygala brachystachya DC., non Blume

Also Known As

Da jin niu cao, Ngeli, Meradu, Miragu, Negri, Phuntani, Diuata, Pilibhonyasna, Gaighura, Bir mindi tasad

References (7)

Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 477
GAMMIE,
Li, D. et al, 2017, Ethnobotanical survey of herbal tea plants from the traditional markets in Chaoshan, China. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 205 (2017) 195-206
Monsalud, M.R., Tongacan, A.L., Lopez, F.R., & Lagrimas, M.Q., 1966, Edible Wild Plants in Philippine Forests. Philippine Journal of Science. p 531
Peekel, P.G., 1984, (Translation E.E.Henty), Flora of the Bismarck Archipelago for Naturalists, Division of Botany, Lae, PNG. p 293, 290

Show all 7 references