If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Tropical Plants

Acmella oleracea

(L.) R.K.Jansen

Asteraceae

+ Synonyms

Anacyclus pyrethraria Spreng.

Bidens acmelloides Bergius

Bidens fervida Lam.

Bidens fixa Hook.f.

Bidens fusca Lam.

Bidens oleracea Cav. ex Steud.

Cotula dichotoma Pers.

Cotula pyretharia L.

Isocarpha pyrethraria (L.) Cass.

Pyrethraria dichotoma Pers. ex Steud.

Pyrethrum spilanthus Medik.

Spilanthes acmella oleracea (L.) C.B.Clarke ex Hook.f.

Spilanthes calva oleracea (Jacq.) Mehrotra, Aswal & B.S.Bisht

Spilanthes fusca Lam.

Spilanthes oleracea L.

Spilanthes radicans Schrad. ex DC.

Common Name: Para Cress

Acmella oleracea
Leaves
Photograph by: ??????
Creative Commons License
Acmella oleracea Acmella oleracea

General Information

Acmella oleracea is an upright or prostrate annual to perennial plant with stems that are usually decumbent to ascending; it can grow up to 90cm tall[
2014
Title
Notes on Acmella (Asteraceae: Heliantheae) in Taiwan
Publication
Botanical Studies (2008) 49: 73-82
Author
Chung K.F. et al
Publisher
 
Year
2008
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The plant is commonly used as a food in the tropics, and is also well known as a treatment for toothache. In addition, it contains active compounds which have been shown to have insecticidal properties. It is often cultivated as an annual for its edible leaves, especially in Brazil, and is also grown for its medicinal virtues as well as being widely cultivated as an ornamental for its attractive colourful flower heads[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
2014
Title
Notes on Acmella (Asteraceae: Heliantheae) in Taiwan
Publication
Botanical Studies (2008) 49: 73-82
Author
Chung K.F. et al
Publisher
 
Year
2008
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

2014
Title
Notes on Acmella (Asteraceae: Heliantheae) in Taiwan
Publication
Botanical Studies (2008) 49: 73-82
Author
Chung K.F. et al
Publisher
 
Year
2008
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

S. America - Peru.

Habitat

Found only as an escape from cultivation, growing in weedy places, usually in wet localities such as lakeside marshes[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.50 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Ornamental

Cultivation Details


Prefers a sunny position[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Plants have escaped from cultivation in New Caledonia, where the species is classified as 'Invasive'[
305
Title
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands.
].
There is a wild form with much stronger flavoured leaves that is occasionally used in salads but is more commonly used medicinally, especially to treat toothache[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. A cultivated form 'Oleracea' has milder flavoured leaves and has become very popular in Brazil both as a salad and an addition to soups[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
It has been suggested that Acmella oleracea was mostly likely derived through cultivation from Acmella alba (L’Hér.) R. K. Jansen in central Peru[
2015
Title
The Systematics of Acmella (Asteraceae-Heliantheae)
Publication
Systematic Botany Monographs, Vol. 8, 1985, pp1-115
Author
Jansen R.K.
Publisher
American Society of Plant Taxonomists
Year
1985
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Adds a pungent flavour to salads that stimulates the salivary glands whilst having a numbing effect on the tongue and lips[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
]. Eating the leaves is a memorable experience. They have a smell similar to any green leafy vegetable. The taste, however, is somewhat reminiscent of Echinacea, but lacking the bitter and sometimes nauseating element of that plant. First, a strong, spicy warmth spreads outward across one's tongue, turning into a prickling sensation. With this the salivary glands leap into action, pumping out quantities of saliva. As the prickling spreads, it mellows into an acidic (slightly metallic) sharpness accompanied by tingling, and then numbness. The numbness fades after a time (two to twenty minutes, depending on the person and amount eaten), and the pungent aftertaste may linger for an hour or more[
372
Title
Flowers of India
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.flowersofindia.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
]. A very popular ingredient in Amazonian soup dishes, and has become the favourite vegetable for Europeans living in Madagascar[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].

Medicinal

This species, and several other related species, is commonly used wherever it grows in order to relieve toothache, and treat throat and gum infections[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
2014
Title
Notes on Acmella (Asteraceae: Heliantheae) in Taiwan
Publication
Botanical Studies (2008) 49: 73-82
Author
Chung K.F. et al
Publisher
 
Year
2008
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. Worldwide the flower heads are used either fresh or dried and powdered, but the use of roots and leaves has been recommended as well[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

An infusion of the flowers is used to treat stomach pains, especially in babies[
1783
Title
Enciclopedia de las Plantas Útiles del Ecuador
Publication
 
Author
de la Torre, L., Navarrete H., P. Muriel M., Macía M.J. & Ba
Publisher
Herbario QCA de la Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas de la Pontific
Year
2008
ISBN
978-9978-77-135-8
Description
 
].

The plant is further recommended as a cure for dysentery and rheumatism, and to enhance the immune system. It is used against blood parasites, especially against malaria, both prophylactic and curative[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

The leaves are sialagogue[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
The leaves and flower heads are analgesic, anthelmintic, antibacterial and antifungal[
372
Title
Flowers of India
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.flowersofindia.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
]. Some of the medicinal compounds are destroyed by desiccation or freezing[
372
Title
Flowers of India
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.flowersofindia.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
].

In-vitro studies have shown strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia, Klebsiella, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella and Staphylococcus. Also Candida albicans is inhibited[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Other Uses

Use as an insecticide has proved effective against mosquitoes and corn earworm[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The fruit has been used as an insecticide in India[
1415
Title
Plants of Possible Insecticidal Value - A Review of the Literature up to 1941
Publication
 
Author
McIndoo N.E.
Publisher
USDA; Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine
Year
1945
ISBN
 
Description
Information on the insecticidal properties (or not) of almost 1,200 species of plant. Rather dated but still with information hard to obtain elsewhere. It can be downloaded from the Intenet
].

Propagation

Seed - requires a temperature of 21°c to germinate[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. Germination takes place in about 2 weeks[
423
Title
Desert Tropicals
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Cuttings when the plant is not in flower[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Acmella+oleracea>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.