East Indian madder
Rubia manjith

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

A climber. It keeps growing from year to year. The stems can be 3 m long. They are angular. The leaves are in rings of four. They are 4-6 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. The flowers are cream-yellow or red. They forms large groups in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a dark red berry 4-5 mm across.

Where it is found

It is a temperate to subtropical plant. It grows up to 3000 m altitude in Uttar Pradesh in India. In the Indian Himalayas it grows between 1,300-3,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Lesotho, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim, Southern Africa, Tibet

How it is used for food

The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They are sweet in taste.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Kajistha, Liichkura, Majeetha, Majeithi, Majhito, Majitho

Synonyms

Rubia cordifolia Linn.;