Indian jalap, Turpeth
Operculina turpethum

Family: Convolvulaceae

What it is like

A herb. It is a climbing plant that keeps growing from year to year. The annual stems can be 2-4 m long. The stems have 3-5 narrow wings. The rootstock is fleshy and branched. The leaves are round or heart shaped and 4-14 cm long by 4-14 cm wide. They are hairy underneath. There are often 2 flowers together. They are funnel shaped and white but sometimes with yellow base.

It is used in medicine. There are about 25 Operculina species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on stream banks, roadsides, grassy fields, wasteland, dry slopes, clay and sandy soils, scrub bordering valleys between 0–500 m in China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, American Samoa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Central America, China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Central America, Dominican Republic, French Polynesia, Guiana, Guianas, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Pacific, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Samoa, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tahiti, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam, E Africa, North and South America, West Indies, West Timor

How it is used for food

Young buds are eaten when the seeds are still white. The soft sweet stem is sucked and chewed. The fleshy unripe fruit are eaten raw or boiled. The leaves are also eaten. Caution: It contains gluco-resins that have a strong purgative effect.

Edible parts

Leaves, buds, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Dudkalmi, Kyahin-bin, Myauk-kazun, Nyan-nwe

Synonyms

See also Ipomoea tuba; Convolvulus turpethum Linnaeus; Argyreia alulata Miquel; Convolvulus anceps Linnaeus; Ipomoea anceps (Linnaeus) Roemer & Schultes; Ipomoea turpethum (Linnaeus) R. Brown; Ipomoea turpethum var. anceps (Linnaeus) Miquel; Merremia turpethum (Linnaeus) Bojer; Operculina turpethum var. heterophylla H. Hallier; Spiranthera turpethum (Linnaeus) Bojer.;