Creasted anoda, Anoda weed
Anoda cristata

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

An annual herb. It grows 80 cm high. The stem is ridged and branching and it can be creeping. The leaves are delta shaped with large teeth or lobes along the edge. The flowers are blue, purple and violet. They occur singly in the axils of leaves. They are 2-3 cm wide. The fruit is a bristly capsule It has 9-20 segments. There is one seed in each segment.

Where it is found

It grows in warm temperate and tropical places. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 4,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America, Chile, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Fiji, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Mozambique, North America, Pacific, Puerto Rico, South America (country/location of origin), Uruguay, USA, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The leaves are used for tea and also as a leafy vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Alaches, Malva cimarrona, Malvilla, Malavisco, Quelite de malva, Quelites, Tu-tsji-Jar, Violeta

Synonyms

Anoda acerifolia sensu authors, non Cav.; Anoda arizonica A. Gray; Anoda arizonica var. digitata A. Gray; Anoda brachyantha Rchb.; Anoda cristata var. albiflora Heuchr.; Anoda cristata var. brachyantha (Rchb.) Hochr.; Anoda cristata var. digitata (A. Gray) Heuchr.; Anoda dilleniana Cav.; Anoda fernandeziana Steud.; Anoda hastata (Cav.) Medik.; Anoda incarnata Spreng. ex Steud.; Anoda lavateroides Medik. Illegit.; Anoda populifolia Phil.; Anoda triangularis (Willd.) DC.; Anoda triangularis var. digitata (A. Gray) B. L. Rob.; Anoda triloba Cav.; Cavanillea hastata (Cav.) Medik.; Sida acerifolia (Cav.) Medik.; Sida centrota Spreng.; Sida cristata L.; Sida deltoidea Hornem.; Sida hastata Sims; Sida mexicana Scop.; Sida quinqueangulata D. Dietr.; Sida quinqueloba Sesse & Moc.; Sida triangularis Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.; Sida zuccagni Spreng.;