Merremia hederacea

Family: Convolvulaceae

What it is like

A herb. It can be twining or lie along the ground. The stems form roots at the nodes. The leaves are heart shaped or oval and 2-8 cm long by 1-5 cm wide. They can have 3 lobes. The flowers can occur as few or many in a group.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in scrub and grassy roadsides between 100-800 m above sea level in southern China. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, West Africa, West Timor

How it is used for food

The seeds are eaten raw and roasted.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Diwati

Synonyms

Convolvulus acetosellifolius Desr.; Convolvulus chryseides (Ker Gawl.) Spreng.; Convolvulus dentatus Vahl; Convolvulus flavus Willd.; Convolvulus lapathifolius Spreng.; Evolvulus hederaceus Burm. f.; Ipomoea acetosellifolia (Desr.) Choisy; Ipomoea chryseides Ker Gawl.; Ipomoea dentata (Vahl) Roem. & Schult.; Ipomoea subtriflora Zoll. & Moritzi; Lepistemon glaber Hand.-Mazz.; Lepistemon muricatum Span.; Merremia chryseides (Ker Gawl.) Hallier f.; Merremia convolvulacea Dennst. ex Hallier f.;