Persicaria minor

Persicaria minor is species of herb in the family Polygonaceae. Common names include pygmy smartweed, small water pepper and swamp willow weed. This herb is native to Asia, but distributed widely in Europe and Australia. It is used in South East Asian cooking.

Description

An annual herb. It can also keep growing from year to year. It lies along the ground but can also reach to 1 m high. The stems are slender. They are 1-4 mm thick. The leaf stalks are short. The leaves are sword shaped or almost linear. They are 5-12 cm long. The leaves are hairy underneath. The flowering arrangement is at the top. There are 1 or more lax false spikes. These are 1-6 cm long. There are 3-6 flowers and the bracts are funnel shaped. The fruit are lens shaped with faces which curve outwards. They are 1.5-2 mm long. They are black or brown and shiny.

Edible Uses

The leaves are eaten in curries and the seeds are consumed.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are eaten in curries.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Persicaria minor is an edible, aromatic herb. In Malaysia and Indonesia it has the common name "kesum", and its shoots and young leaves are eaten raw as part of salad (ulam); used as an aroma spice additive in peppery dishes such as laksa, nasi kerabu, asam pedas and tom yam; used as tea leaves; and used for topical applications in traditional medicine. Its oil has been used for aromatherapy and in treatments for dandruff. In Malaysian traditional medicine, P. minor has been used in post-natal tonics and for treatment of digestion. Pharmacological studies on P. minor have indicated anti-oxidant, LDL oxidation, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activities, digestive enhancing and anti-ulcer activities, cognitive enhancing activities, immuno-modulating activities, acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting activity and as a microbial inhibitor to prevent food spoilage. Comparative studies have been carried out to analyse the metabolites not only in the plant's leaves, but also in its stem and roots. Clinical studies have been carried out on this plant, looking at reported abilities to improve cognition, mood and stress, and memory. Compared with other four Malaysian herbs (Cosmos caudatus, Piper sarmentosum, Centella asiatica, Syzygium polyanthum), the Persicaria minor showed the highest concentration of phenols and the highest antioxidant activity. It has been used as a bioactive component for packaging film for edible foods, based on a semi-refined carrageenan and glycerol as plasticizers.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows at low altitudes in wet places in Papua New Guinea. It grows in better drained places at higher altitudes. It can grow from sea level to 2500 m altitude. In Argentina it grows below 500 m below sea level.

Where It Grows

Argentina, Asia, Australia, Central Asia, Europe, India, Indochina, Iraq, Ireland, Malaysia, Middle East, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, SE Asia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye, Vanuatu, Vietnam,

Notes

There are about 50 Polygonum species. It possibly has anti-cancer properties. It has 2.6 mg per 100 g dry weight and 1.4 mg fresh weight of alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Synonyms

Also Known As

Lady's-thumb, Persicaria, Kesum, Kesom

References (19)

• Abas, F., et al, 2006, Antioxidant and nitric oxide inhibition of selected Malay traditional vegetables. Food Chemistry 95: 566-573 (As Persicaria tenella)
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 480 (As Polygonum minus)
• Ching, L. S. & Mohamed, S., 2001, Alpha-Tocopherol Content in 62 Edible Tropical Plants. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2001, 49, 3101−3105 (As Polygonum minus)
• French, B.R., 2010, Food Plants of Solomon Islands. A Compendium. Food Plants International Inc. p 375 (As Polygonum minus)
• Fl. angl. 148. 1762 (As Polygonum minus)

More from Polygonaceae

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Polygonum affine

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Alaskan wild rhubarb