Gonostegia hirta

Family: Urticaceae

What it is like

A herb that keeps growing from year to year. It is a creeping shrub. It can grow 1 m tall. The leaves are more than 1 cm wide and about 3 cm long. They are opposite and thin. The leaves can be 2-12 cm long and 1-4 cm wide.

There are about 5 species of Gonostegia. Some put these in Pouzolzia.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in wet places at low to medium altitudes in Taiwan. In Northeastern India it grows between 1,900-2,200 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China, Himalayas, India, Japan, Nepal, Northeastern India, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Taiwan, Tibet

How it is used for food

The young leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are also used in soup. The ground root is used to prepare chapatti. They are also toasted or boiled.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable, root - starch

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Aluloy, Attinno, Bhuinchiple, Chiplay, Chiple, De gong, Hung-byuk, Pa qian a bo, Pinrapa, Ro-gyi-ba

Synonyms

Driessenia sinensis H. Lev.; Gonostegia quinquenervis Miq.; Memorialis hirta (Blume ex Hassk.) Wedd.; Pouzolzia hirta (Blume) Blume ex Hassk.; Urtica hirta Blume;