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Useful Tropical Plants

Anredera cordifolia

(Ten.) Steenis

Basellaceae


This species has often been misidentified as Anredera baselloides (Kunth) Baill.

+ Synonyms

Boussingaultia cordata Spreng.

Boussingaultia cordifolia Ten.

Boussingaultia gracilis Miers

Common Name: Madeira Vine

Anredera cordifolia
Flowering plant
Photograph by: Shepherd, R.C.H.
Image credit to Australian National Botanic Gardens
Anredera cordifolia Anredera cordifolia Anredera cordifolia Anredera cordifolia Anredera cordifolia Anredera cordifolia Anredera cordifolia Anredera cordifolia Anredera cordifolia

General Information

Anredera cordifolia is a fast-growing, evergreen perennial climbing plant producing stems up to 9 metres long that support themselves by twining around the thin branches of other plants[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Widely grown as an ornamental, the plant is also utilized for its edible roots and leaves and its medicinal properties.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
2103
Title
A Synopsis of Basellaceae
Publication
Kew Bulletin, Vol. 62, No. 2 (2007), pp. 297-320
Author
Eriksson E.
Publisher
 
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

S. America - Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela.

Habitat

Naturalized in Texas, California and Florida in southern N. America where it grows in disturbed areas, fencerows and roadsides from sea level to 500 metres[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial Climber
Height9.00 m
Growth RateFast
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of subtropical to tropical areas. It is found in areas where mean temperatures range from 20 - 30°c in the hot season and from 10 - 30°c in the cool season. Average annual rainfall varies from 500 - 2,000mm. The stems are killed off in cold weather, but the plant can survive by means of its tuberous rootstocks and regrow when the weather is warmer.
Requires a well-drained humus-rich soil and a position in full sun or good indirect light[
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.
]. Established plants are drought tolerant[
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.
].
The plant has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in many areas of the tropics to warm temperate zones, where it can outcompete native vegetation. It smothers trees and other vegetation it grows on and can easily break branches and bring down entire trees on its own[
413
Title
Global Invasive Species Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range.
]. The plant is notoriously difficult to control because of its rapid growth and very effective vegetative reproduction by means of the tubers[
413
Title
Global Invasive Species Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range.
,
2103
Title
A Synopsis of Basellaceae
Publication
Kew Bulletin, Vol. 62, No. 2 (2007), pp. 297-320
Author
Eriksson E.
Publisher
 
Year
2007
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
This plant seldom, if ever, produces seeds[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Edible Uses

Root - raw or cooked[
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.
]. Rich in starch, it is boiled and eaten like potatoes[
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.
,
2097
Title
Duke’s handbook of medicinal plants of Latin America
Publication
 
Author
Duke J.A.
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Group, LLC; Florida
Year
2009
ISBN
978-1-4200-4316-7
Description
 
]. The raw root is crisp and pleasant when first put in the mouth, but soon degenerates into a mucilaginous mass described by some people as 'like eating catarrh' and in rather less flattering terms by others![
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. When well baked, the root loses this quality and is quite pleasant to eat[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Leaves - raw or cooked[
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.
,
2097
Title
Duke’s handbook of medicinal plants of Latin America
Publication
 
Author
Duke J.A.
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Group, LLC; Florida
Year
2009
ISBN
978-1-4200-4316-7
Description
 
]. Succulent and slightly mucilaginous[
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.
]. Eaten in salads or cooked as a potherb[
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.
]. Used as a spinach[
264
Title
Vegetables
Publication
 
Author
Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
Publisher
Macmillan Reference Books, London.
Year
1995
ISBN
0 333 62640 0
Description
Excellent and easily read book with good information and an excellent collection of photos of vegetables from around the world, including many unusual species.
].

Medicinal

The plant has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, and liver-protective effects[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].

An aqueous extract of the plant has been shown to be strongly hypoglycaemic[
2097
Title
Duke’s handbook of medicinal plants of Latin America
Publication
 
Author
Duke J.A.
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Group, LLC; Florida
Year
2009
ISBN
978-1-4200-4316-7
Description
 
]. (Reported under the name Anredera baselloides).

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in containers. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant out when large enough
Softwood cuttings.
Division of the tubers
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Anredera%20cordifolia>

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