Khai Nam
Wolffia globosa
Family: Araceae
What it is like
Wolffia globosa, commonly known as Khai Nam or Water-Eggs, is a very small aquatic herb with free floating fronds. It is a tropical and subtropical plant and one of the smallest flowering plants worldwide. It is a cultivated vegetable crop in Laos, Burma, and Thailand. The edible leaves have an excellent flavor and are very nutritious. No plant part is of medicinal use.
Wolffia globosa is an evergreen Perennial at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers wet soil and can grow in water.
Height (m): 0
Where it is found
Floating on quiet waters. A rare native of southern Britain, growing in still waters.
Tropical areas of Africa and Asia, widely naturalised in other warm regions of the world.
Conservation Status: Status: Least Concern
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam.
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Leaves - cooked. An excellent flavour, they taste somewhat like a sweet cabbage. The leaves are very nutritious, containing about 20% protein, 44% carbohydrate. 5% fat and are rich in vitamins A, B2, B6, C and nicotinic acid.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating: 0
Other Uses None known
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
A pond plant, it requires a sunny position in still water that is rich in nitrates and lime. It over-winters in temperate areas by means of resting buds which sink to the bottom of the pond in the late autumn and rise again in the spring. Reports for the uses of this plant are often wrongly cited under Wolffia arrhiza.
Propagating it: Seed - we have no information on this species but, since it can spread rapidly by division, it really needs no extra help once it is in a pond.
Best place to grow:
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 10-12
Growth: Fast
Soil:
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Wet, water
Things to keep in mind
Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, it belongs to a family where most of the members contain calcium oxalate crystals. This substance is toxic fresh and, if eaten, makes the mouth, tongue and throat feel as if hundreds of small needles are digging in to them. However, calcium oxalate is easily broken down either by thoroughly cooking the plant or by fully drying it and, in either of these states, it is safe to eat the plant. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet.
Its other names
Local names
Khai nae, Khai-nam, Kipum, Mijinko-uki-kusa, Wu gen ping,