Walteria
Waltheria indica

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A herb or shrub. It grows 4 m high. The leaves are simple and 2-10 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. There are white stellate hairs on both sides. The flowers are in groups in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. The flowers are 3-4 mm wide. They have 5 yellow or orange petals. The fruit is a capsule. They are brown and 2 mm long and have 1 valve. They are tightly clustered together and are hairy. There is 1 seed.

There are about 30-60 Waltheria species. They are mostly in tropical America. It is used in medicine. Some authorities put it in the Sterculiaceae and Byttneriaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on sandy shores. It grows in monsoon and vine forests throughout the tropics. It also grows in woodland and savannah. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 800 m altitude. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, America, Anguilla, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Central America (country/location of origin), Chile, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Easter Island, Eswatini, Fiji, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indochina, Jamaica, Laos, Lesser Antilles (country/location of origin), Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Marquesas, Mexico (country/location of origin), Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, North America, Pacific, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America (country/location of origin), Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Uganda, Venezuela, Virgin Islands, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Asum katito, Bauk-hpyaw, Bauk-hpyu, Bauk mya, Botongue-bandanuele, Bueta-rufera, Cujucujient, Dabada, Delelemukula, Egweret, Ensano, Fulutafu, Fulutalut, Futidorum-assai, Kafafe, Khain, Khar dudhi, Khwe-tayaw, Maracheera, Mefaga, Meidebossie, Nallabenda, Siigarab, Sinni, Sochinconhedje, Taansaai, Tambu, Tan sai, Uhadaaru-xoxoco, Uhaloa, Umputiputi

Synonyms

Waltheria americana Linn.;