Polygonum cognatum

Meissn.

Madmak, Knotgrass

PolygonaceaeLeavesShootsScore: 60/100

iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) vladimir_epiktetov, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by vladimir_epiktetov

iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Felix Riegel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Felix Riegel

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Stems

The madimak is one of the widely known traditional edible plants in Turkey particularly Central Anatolia Region. To be able to compensate increasing demand easily and supply the plant to the markets, farmers started cultivating madimak in Central Anatolia.

Where to Find It

It is a Mediterranean plant.

Central Asia, Europe, Greece, Iran, Mediterranean, Middle East, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye,

Countries: Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Albania, Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Belarus, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Algeria, Estonia, Egypt, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Libya, Morocco, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yemen

How to Identify

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It has a slender woody rootstock. The leaves have short stems and are oval with sharp tips. The flowers are pink. They are in clumps and 4-5 mm long.

Nutrition Score: 60/100

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Leaves	77.9	247	60.3	2.1	—	23.5	37.4	0.7
Leaf	97.3	—	—	28	—	—	—	—
Stem	87.7	—	—	7.3	—	—	—	—

Medicinal Uses

The highest antioxidant activity was found in the water extract.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Polygonum cognatum, commonly called Indian knotgrass or madimak (from Turkish madımak), is an edible weedy creeping perennial herb in the genus Polygonum, frequently eaten by people of Turkey. It has larger leaves than most other species of Polygonum.

Names & Synonyms

Cacik, Casurik, Cobanekmegi, Gaye bederan, Gihayi karika, Harman otu, Kusdili, Madimak, Tavuk otu, Urgancik

References (24)

Ari, S., et al, 2015, Ethnobotanical survey of plants used in Afyonkarahisar-Turkey. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 11:84
Cakir, E. A., 2017, Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants of Iğdır Province (East Anatolia, Turkey). Acta Soc Bot Pol. 2017;86(4):3568
Dogan, A. & Tuzlaci, E., 2015, Wild Edible Plants of Pertek (Tunceli-Turkey). Marmara Pharmaceutical Journal 19: 126-135
Dogan, Y., et al, 2004, The Use of Wild Edible Plants in Western and Central Anatolia (Turkey). Economic Botany 58(4) pp. 684-690
Dogan, Y., 2012, Traditionally used wild edible greens in the Aegean Region of Turkey. Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 81(4): 329-342
Dogan, Y. et al, 2013, Wild Edible Plants sold in the Local Markets of Izmir, Turkey. Pak. J. Bot. 45(S1): 177-184
Ertug, F., 2000, An Ethnobotanical Study in Central Anatolia (Turkey). Economic Botany Vol. 54. No. 2. pp. 155-182
Ertug, F, Yenen Bitkiler. Resimli Türkiye Florası -I- Flora of Turkey - Ethnobotany supplement
Gunes, S. et al, 2018, Survey of wild food plants for human consumption in Karaisali (Adana-Turkey). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 17(2), April 2018, pp 290-298
Kargioglu, M., et al, 2008, An Ethnobotanical Survey of Inner-West Anatolia, Turkey. Human Ecology 36:763-777
Kargioglu, M. et al, 2010, Traditional Uses of Wild Plants in the Middle Aegean Region. Human Ecology 38:429-450
Kaya, O. M., et al, 2020, An ethnobotanical research in Sanhurfa central district and attached Villages (Turkey). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 19(1) pp 7-23
Kayabasi, N. P., et al, 2018, Wild edible plants and their traditional use in the human nutrition in Manyas (Turkey). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 17(2), April 2018, pp 299-306
Koca, I., et al, 2015, Some Wild Edible Plants and Their Dietary Fiber Contents. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition. 14(4): 188-194
Mukemre, M., et al, 2016, Survey of wild food plants for human consumption in villages of Catak, (Van-Turkey), Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 15(2) pp. 183-191
Ozbucak, T. B. et al, 2006, The Contribution of Wild Edible Plants to Human Nutrition in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. Ethnobotanical Leaflets 10: 98-103
Ozbucak, T. B., et al, 2007, Nutrition Content of Some Wild Edible Plants in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey. International Journal of Natural and Engineering Sciences 1:11-13
Özdemir, E. and Kültür, S., 2017, Wild Edible Plants of Savaştepe District (Balıkesir, Turkey), Marmara Pharm J 21/3: 578-589
Polat, R., et al, 2015, Survey of wild food plants for human consumption in Elazig (Turkey). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 1(1): 69-75
Polat, R., et al, 2017, Survey of wild food plants for human consumption in Bingol, (Turkey). Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol. 16(3) July 2017, pp. 378-384
Rivera, D. et al, 2006, Gathered Mediterranean Food Plants - Ethnobotanical Investigations and Historical Development, in Heinrich M, Müller WE, Galli C (eds): Local Mediterranean Food Plants and Nutraceuticals. Forum Nutr. Basel, Karger, 2006, vol 59, pp 18–74
Senkardes, I & Tuzlaci, E., 2016, Wild Edible Plants of Southern Part of Nevsehir inTurkey. Marmara Pharmaceutical Journal 20:34-43
Yesil, Y., et al, 2019, Wild edible plants in Yeşilli (Mardin-Turkey), a multicultural area. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2019) 15:52
Yesil, Y., et al, 2019, Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants in Hasankeyf (Batman Province, Turkey). Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae. 88(3):3633