Acmella calva

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.

It is also used as a medicine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows at about 1,500 m above sea level in Nepal.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Northeastern India

How it is used for food

The flowers are eaten as a vegetable. The shoots and young leaves are eaten with alkali solution and dried fish.

Edible parts

Flower, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bab soki, Lato ghans, Samnami

Synonyms

Spilanthes acmella var. calva (DC.) Clarke ex C. B. Clarke; Spilanthes javanica Sch.Bip ex Miq.; and others