Acmella repens
Rich. ex Pers.
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves
The leaves are used fresh in salads.
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant.
Argentina, Bolivia, Madagascar, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, North America, South America, USA,
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.
Medicinal Uses
This species, and several other related species, is commonly used wherever it grows in order to relieve toothache, promote oral hygeine and to treat dental problems. It contains an aromatic fatty acid amide (spilanthol) which has been shown to have anesthetic properties and is absorbed by the skin. A cold or wam infusion of the inflorescence and leaves is gargled or used as a mouthwash to relieve toothache and to treat infected wounds in the mouth. Chewing the leaves twice a day is said to prevent pyorrhea and cavities. The leaves and flowers are chewed in order to harden the teeth, cleanse and whiten them, and to keep the gums healthy. The boiled inflorescence is taken as an analgesic for the stomach. An infusion of the leaves and flower is drunk to treat diarrhoea. The chewed leaves and flowers are applied topically to treat wounds. An infusion of the plant, especially the branches, is used to relieve toothache, mouth and throat problems.
Other Uses
Beekeeping: It has beekeeping use.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Acmella repens is a North American species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The plant is native to the southeastern and south-central United States, primarily in the coastal plain from Texas to North Carolina and in the lower Mississippi Valley from Missouri to Louisiana. There are additional populations in Coahuila in northeastern Mexico.
Names & Synonyms
Anamalaokova
References (2)
- Kermath,
- Razanameharizaka, J., et al, 2022, Catalogue Legumes Traditionnels de Madagascar. Université d’Antananarivo, Antananarivo (101), Madagascar. Vol. 1. p 21
