Abutilon indicum
(L.) Sweet
Plains Lanternflower
(c) Harshjeet Singh Bal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) 106611639464075912591, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by 106611639464075912591
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Seeds, Vegetable, Flowers, Seeds - oil, Leaves - tea
The roasted seeds are eaten in Nepal and ground into flour, while the seeds also yield an edible oil. The leaves and flowers are cooked and eaten, and the flowers can also be eaten raw or fried. Leaves are also brewed as tea.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It suits warm tropical places. It requires well drained soil and does best in a sunny position. It can grow in arid places. It occurs in Asia and Australia. It grows on atolls. In China it grows below 600 m in S China. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Afghanistan, Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Central Africa, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Cuba, Dominica, East Timor, Fiji, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Middle East, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Niue, Northeastern India, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Seychelles, Sikkim, South America, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen,
How to Identify
A shrub or small tree. It grows 5 m tall. There are prickles along the stem. The leaves are twice divided and there are 8-18 pairs of pinnae. There are up to 50 pairs of pinnules on each pinnae. The flowers are yellow. They are in large clusters at the ends of branches. The pods are flattened.
Nutrition Score: 30/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seed flour | 5.9 | — | — | 22.4 | — | — | — | — |
| Leaves | — | — | — | 126 | — | — | — | — |
| Flowers | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Seed - oil | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
It can be grown from seed or cuttings. It can be pruned.
Propagation: Seed - germination should take place within a few weeks. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and grow them on until large enough to plant out. Cuttings of young shoots. Cuttings of half-ripe wood.
Medicinal Uses
In traditional medicine, A. indicum various parts of the plant are used as a demulcent, aphrodisiac, laxative, diuretic, sedative, astringent, expectorant, tonic, anti-convulsant, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, and analgesic and to treat leprosy, ulcers, headaches, gonorrhea, and bladder infection. The whole plant is uprooted, dried and is powdered. In ancient days, maidens were made to consume a spoonful of this powder with a spoonful of honey, once in a day, for 6 months until the day of marriage, for a safe and quick pregnancy. The plant is commonly used in Siddha medicines. The root, bark, flowers, leaves and seeds are all used for medicinal purposes by Tamils. The leaves are used as adjunct to medicines used for pile complaints. The flowers are used to increase semen in men.
Other Uses
A strong white fibre is obtained from the stem bark. Fibre from mature stems is suitable for making cordage, twine and rope, whilst that from younger stems can be woven into fabrics. The fibre takes dyes readily. The stems are easy to ret.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Abutilon indicum (Indian abutilon, Indian mallow) is a small shrub in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions. This plant is a valuable medicinal and ornamental plant, its roots and leaves being used for curing fevers. It has been widely introduced outside of its native range, and is considered invasive on certain tropical islands.
Other Information
It is sold in local markets.
Notes
There are about 100-160 Abutilon species. This one is used in medicine.
Names & Synonyms
Atibala, Bauk-gale, Bauk-khway, Bauk-khway-gale, Bellpaku, Bunga kisar, Coi-xay, Country mallow, Fansi, Helencha, Indian abutilon, Indian lanternflower, Kambang sore, Kanghi, Kanska, Krawp chak krawan, Maabbelhau, Mamanh, Mamaruk, Mó lòng cǎo, Nhihuong, Paniyarattutti, Petari, Pong pang, Potari, Thami-chyok, Tutti, Tuttura-benda, Velluram
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