Hairy Carpet-weed, Lotus sweetjuice
Glinus lotoides

Family: Molluginaceae

What it is like

A herb. It lays along the ground. The stem are hairy. They are 10-40 cm long. There are many branches. The leaves at the base are in a ring. These dry off. The higher leaves are 6-24 mm long by 5-15 mm wide. Several flowers occur in a group. The fruit are capsules which have 5 valves. There are many chestnut brown seeds. They are kidney shaped.

There are about 10 Glinus species. There are 2 species in tropical America. Also as Mimosaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. They grow in open sands and riversides and waste places from sea level to 500 m altitude in China. It is often in muddy areas along watercourses and wetlands. It grows between 600-1,440 m above sea level in Africa. In Argentina it grows below 100 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, East Africa, East Timor, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Mozambique, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young shoots are eaten as a pot-herb.

Edible parts

Shoots, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Bhissata, Duserasag, Gandibudi, Gandibuti, Gholo okhrad, Kotrak, Meetho okhrad, Meterrie, Myet-pan, Okharadi, Porprang, Sirooseroopadi, Xing su cao

Synonyms

Mollugo hirta Thunb.; Mollugo lotoides (L.) O.Kuntze;