Hedyotis capitellata

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

A sprawling herb or small shrub. It can be climbing. It grows 1 m tall. The stems are slightly 4 angled. The leaves are narrowly sword shaped. They are 2-12 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. They can have teeth on the edge. The flowers are in 3-15 round heads near the ends of the branches.

There are about 450 Hedyotis species. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In China it grows in broad-leaved forests and sunny mountain slopes at about 1,500 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The cooked leaves are eaten with rice.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Akar lada, Akar sambueh, Daun silaiman, Seketan, Si-mastolor, Tawng heng, Umat sampu kalada, Yaung-lon-chan-tha

Synonyms

Oldenlandia capitellata (G. Don) Kuntze; Oldenlandia recurva Miq.;