Common name: Water Morning Glory, Swamp cabbage, aquatic
morning glory, Chinese water spinach • Hindi: Nali, कलमी साग Kalmi sag • Manipuri: কোলম্নী Kolamni • Marathi: नालीची भाजी Nalichi-bhaji • Tamil: Sarkaraivalli • Telugu: Tutikura
• Kannada: Chanthion • Bengali: কলমী সাগ Kulmi sag • Oriya: Kalama saga • Konkani:
Takasi vel • Sanskrit: Karemu, Kalambi
Botanical name: Ipomoea aquatica
Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning glory family)
Introduction: Water Morning Glory is a semi-aquatic
tropical plant grown as a leaf vegetable. Its precise natural distribution is
unknown due to extensive cultivation, with the species found throughout the
tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Water Morning Glory grows in
water or on moist soil. Its stems are 2-3 m or more long, hollow, allowing them
to float, and these root at the nodes. The leaves vary from sagittate (typical)
to lanceolate, 5-15 cm long and 2-8 cm broad. The flowers are trumpet-shaped,
3-5 cm diameter, usually white in colour, with a purple center. It is most
commonly grown in East and Southeast Asia. Because it flourishes naturally in
waterways and does not require much if any care, it is used extensively in
Malay and Chinese cuisine.
Chemical constituents:
51.36% moisture, 42.18% carbohydrate, 1.70% protein, 2.75% ash, 1.20%fiber and 0.81% fat.
Uses: Emetic and purgative. Used as an antidote to
arsenical or opium poisoning. Plant juice is used for liver complaints; buds
for ringworm. The leaves are a good source of minerals, vitamins (especially,
carotene and tocopherol).
Ipomoea aquatica Forssk. is used to treat
ringworm infection, combat fever, and to treat asthma. In China, the plant is
used to relieve the bowels of costiveness, to counteract the putrefaction of
the skin and uterus, to invigorate health, to treat food poisoning and cough.
In Indonesia, the plant is used to treat asthma, to calm and to heal boils and
hemorrhoids. In the Philippines, Ipomoea aquatica Forssk. is used to treat
diabetes.
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