Blyxa echinosperma
Family: Hydrocharitaceae
What it is like
An annual underwater plant. It has runners or stolons. The leaves are like ribbons. They narrow at the end and have an easy to see midrib and veins which run along the leaf. Leaves are 2.5-60 cm long and 0.2-1.2 cm wide. The bract around the flowers is 2-12 cm long and forms a cylinder. There is one or two flowers like stalks. They form tubes. The fruit is 2-8 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. There are many seeds inside. These are 1-2 mm long.
There are 10 Blyxa species. They grow in the tropics. The Hydrocharitaceae grow in water.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in still or slow moving fresh water. It grows in paddy fields and channels. In Sichuan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
How it is used for food
The young leaves are crisp and served with fermented fish.
They are sold in markets.
Edible parts
Leaves
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Santawaa bai khaao