Elephant's foot
Elephantopus scaber
Family: Asteraceae
What it is like
A small herb plant which keeps growing from year to year. It is 30-100 cm high and spreads to 30-60 cm across. It has a creeping rootstock. The stem is stiff and erect. 1-3 stems arise from the base. The stem is densely hairy and warty and is white. The leaves are 10-40 cm long by 1-6 cm wide and oblong. The leaves have a notched edge. The leaves are arranged in a circle near the base. They do not have leaf stalks. There are also some leaves along the stem. These are smaller. The flowers are in compound heads and are yellow or blue. They have leaf like bracts around them. The heads are 2.5 cm across with 20-50 flowers.
It can become a troublesome weed in some tropical places. There are about 32 Elephantopus species. The leaves are boiled and used in medicine in Asia.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It prefers rich, moist, well-drained soils. It needs an open sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. In southern China it grows at about 1,400 m above sea level. In Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, East Africa, East Timor, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, West Timor, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
Leaves are eaten with oil and salt. The rootstock is sliced, dried, powered and used in a fermented drink. The plant is powdered and used as a cake as a fermenting agent for preparing beers and alcoholic drinks. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer.
It is sold in local markets in China.
Edible parts
Leaves, root - tea
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed.
Its other names
Local names
Anashovadi, Bhopathari, Bobhi, Bo ga ga sa, Chen veal, Di dan tou, Geji shak, Gojialata, Gojihva, Hakkarike, Hastikasaka, Hastipata, Jad dabai, Karipadam, Ka-tu-pin, Kitambakombako, Ma die min, Mao-ti-tan-ts'ao, Ma-tu-pin, Mayur jhanti, Pathari, Sahasra buti, Samudulan, Shamdalan, Shamdulum, Sin che, Tapak liman, Tapak limna, Thinko, Tinko jhangi, Ya din dian, Yah-fai-nok-khum
Synonyms