Sphenoclea zeylanica, called chickenspike, gooseweed, and wedgewort, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the genus Sphenoclea, native to Africa, Madagascar, tropical and subtropical Asia, and Australia.[3] It is widely introduced in the New World tropics and subtopics from the southern United States to northern Argentina.[2] Its young leaves are edible and are occasionally eaten, perhaps with a light boiling.[3] A common weed of rice paddies, it can cause yield losses from 25 to 50%.[4]

Sphenoclea zeylanica
In bloom
Botanical illustration
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Sphenocleaceae
Genus: Sphenoclea
Species:
S. zeylanica
Binomial name
Sphenoclea zeylanica
Synonyms[2]
List
    • Reichelia palustris Blanco
    • Schrebera pongati DC.
    • Pongatium indicum Lam.
    • Pongatium spongiosum Blanco
    • Pongatium zeylanicum Kuntze
    • Rapinia herbacea Lour.
    • Sphenoclea pongatium A.DC.

References

edit
  1. ^ Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 113 (1788)
  2. ^ a b "Sphenoclea zeylanica Gaertn". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Chickenspike (Sphenoclea zeylanica)". World Vegetable Center. AVRDC. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020. eaten…with grated coconut
  4. ^ Catindig, JLA; Lubigan, RT; Johnson, D (15 August 2017). "Sphenoclea zeylanica". irri.org. International Rice Research Institute. Retrieved 29 December 2020. The dirty dozen