Mollugo
Paramollugo nudicaulis

Family: Molluginaceae

What it is like

A herb. It does not have a stem. It grows 22 cm high. The leaves are in a ring near the base. The leaves do not have stalks. The leaf blade is oval and cup shaped. It is 1-5 cm long by 0.8-1.5 cm wide. The fruit is an oval capsule. There are many black seeds. They are 0.5-0.7 mm across.

There are about 35 Mollugo species. They are mostly in tropical and subtropical regions.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on the sands of the seashores. In Pakistan it grows as a summer annual up to 1,500 m above sea level. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 920 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Angola, Asia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central America, China, Congo, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Elewale, Kisulu, Parppadagam, Tosisi, Wu jing su mi cao

Synonyms

Mollugo bellidifolia (Poir.) Ser.; Mollugo nudicaulis Lam.; Pharnaceum bellidifolium Poir.; Pharnaceum spathulatum Spreng.;