Common Name:

General Information

Alternanthera littoralis is a prostrate creeping herb with stems up to 10 metres long that root at the nodes[]., of coastal sands down to high water mark, recorded from the West African coast from Senegal to S Nigeria, and on to Angola, and also on the Atlantic Coast of S America[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes used to bind sandy soils[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Senegal to Cameroon, south to northern Angola. S. America - eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Coastal sands down to the high-water mark; it is also found on the tops of coastal sand dunes where it helps to bind them with its long stolons[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position. Succeeds in sandy soils and also in salty soils[].
Plants can flower and fruit all year round[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[]. The plant has a relatively high ash content[].

Medicinal

The plant is used as an alterative to strengthen debilitated children[, ].
The plant is pulped and then used in friction rubs for treating oedema of the body[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant has long stolons and is a strong creeper, it can be used as a sand-binder[, ].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Division

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