Ulan puteh
Aniseia martinicensis

Family: Convolvulaceae

What it is like

A small climber which is woody at the base. It is slender. It grows 1.5 m tall. It can grow from seed each year or keep growing from year to year. The leaf blades are narrowly sword shaped. They are 4-8 cm long by 2 cm wide. The flowers are white and bell shaped. The fruit is oval and 1.5-2 cm long. It has a large calyx around it. The seeds are 4-6 mm across.

There are 5 Aniseia species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It can be in swamps or open forests. It grows near sea level. It is mostly near the coast.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Cambodia, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America (country/location of origin), Congo DR, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Fiji, Gabon, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, North America, Pacific, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, South America, Suriname, Tonga, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The whole plant is eaten in times of food shortage. The leaves are used as a vegetable.

It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Anndat trakuet, Lidah patong, Lotombo, Venthiruthali, Vor andatt trokourt

Synonyms

Aniseia uniflora Choisy; Convolvulus martinicensis Jacq.; Convolvulus uniflorus Burm.f.; Ipomoea uniflora Roem. & Schult.; Ipomoea uniflora Choisy; Ipomoea martinicensis G.F.W. Meyer; and others