Rorippa indica

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

A cabbage family herb. It is an annual plant. It grows to 50 cm high. The leaves near the base are divided into lobes along the stalk. The lobes have teeth. For the leaves on the stem the largest lobe is at the end. The flowers are yellow. They occur in long stalks with many small flowers. The fruit is a pod. It is narrow and like a cylinder.

There are about 70 Rorippa species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In the Philippines it grows in Luzon and Bontoc. It grows in roadsides, field margins, gardens, river banks; near sea level to 3200 m altitude in China. In Nepal it grows between 1500-2000 m altitude. It grows in moist places. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, East Africa, Fiji, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, North and South America

How it is used for food

The tender shoots and leaves are cooked as a vegetable. The harvested leaves can be stored for 4-5 days.

It is a cultivated food plant. Shoots are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Cai-dat an, Gonga mula, Lampaka, Lobak kampung, Lokal, Pahelo jhar, Pauk-thi-bin, Pa ya guo mu, Phunil, Taw-mon-hnyin, Tian ge cai, Tori ghans, Uchi-hangam

Synonyms

Cardamine atrovirens (Hornem.) Kuntze; Cardamine glandulosa Blanco; Cardamine lamontii Hance; Clandestinaria indica Spach; Nasturtium atrovirens (Hornemann) de Candolle; Nasturtium diffusum de Candolle; Nasturtium indicum (Linnaeus) de Candolle (1821), not Garsault (1764); Nasturtium heterophyllum D. Don; Nasturtium montanum Wallich ex J. D. Hooker & Thomson; Nasturtium sinapis (N. L. Burman) O. E. Schulz; Radicula indica (L.) J. M. Macoun; Radicula montana (Wallich ex J. D. Hooker & Thomson) Hu ex C. Pei; Rorippa atrovirens (Hor-nemann) Ohwi & H. Hara; Rorippa indica (L.) L. H. Bailey; Rorippa indica (L.) Hochr.; Rorippa montana (Wallich ex J. D. Hook-er & Thomson) Small; Rorippa sinapis (N. L. Burman) Ohwi & H. Hara; Sinapis patens Roxb.; Sisymbrium atrovirens Hornemann; Sisymbrium indicum Linnaeus; Sisymbrium sinapis N. L. Burman;