Arrow-leaf monochoria
Pontederia hastata

Family: Pontederiaceae

What it is like

Herbs which grow in mud. It keeps growing from year to year. The stems are 50-125 cm long. The rhizome is long, strong and clothed with the old leaf sheaths. The stem leaf is 4-6 cm long by 7-12 cm wide. The leaf is shaped like an arrow. The leaf stalk is fleshy and 10-20 cm long. The leaves have long erect stalks and some leaf stalks have blue, pink or white flowers. The flowers are 1.3 cm long. They emerge near the base of the leaf. The fruit is a capsule 1 cm long and nearly round but flattened at the top. The seeds are brown and oblong with wings. It is normally a more robust plant than Monochoria vaginalis.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical and subtropical places. They mostly occur in swampy fresh water pools and ditches near the coast eg Daru, Sepik in Papua New Guinea. It grows from sea level to 300 m but occasionally to 700 m altitude. In Nepal it grows up to about 200 m altitude. In China it grows in pools, rice fields and ditches between 100-700 m altitude in S China. It grows in wetlands. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The plants (except roots) are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are often cooked with dry fish. The young flowers are cooked as a vegetable.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. In Papua New Guinea, the plant is moderately common in swamps. It is only eaten by some groups of people. It is also eaten in other countries. It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Leaves, stems, vegetable, shoots, flowers

How it is grown

It grows wild from seeds. It can also be grown by dividing the clump.

Its other names

Local names

Ajinai, Ajnai, Antimi, Bengok, Bhat meteka, Bia-bia, Boro nokha, Chacha layar, Chichiri, Chrach, Demdem, Dumdum ara, Eceng gede, Echeng gede, Echeng kebo, Gabi-gabihan, Hastate-leaf-pondweed, Huring demdem, 'ii hin, Jian ye yu jiu hua, Jonaki phul, Kangkong ayer, Karinkuvalam, Kasal-kasal, Kichiri, Kolachempu, Laoha, Luakia, Maoa, Menthoka lai, Methuka, Monochoria, Neelopalam, Nilo jaluke, Nir-tamara, Nukha, Pado, Pakload, Pak-top Thai, Pani kasu, Payaw-payaw, Phak top thai, Phak top, Pickerel weed, Pingo, Rau mac, Thokarak sag, Wewehan

Synonyms

Pontederia hastata Linnaeus; Monochoria dilatata (Buchanan-Hamilton) Kunth; Monochoria hastifolia C. Presl, nom. illeg. (included P. hastata); Monochoria sagittata (Roxburgh) Kunth; Pontederia dilatata Buchanan-Hamilton; Pontederia sagittata Roxburgh;