Lobelia alsinoides
Lam.
Campanulaceae
Dortmanna alsinodes (Lam.) Kuntze
Dortmanna trigona (Roxb.) Kuntze
Lobelia microcarpa C.B.Clarke
Lobelia triangulata Roxb.
Lobelia trigona Roxb.
Rapuntium alsinoides (Lam.) C.Presl
Common Name:
General Information
Lobelia alsinoides is an erect to decumbent, unbranched to strongly branched annual plant with stems rooting only on the basal portion and not at nodes; it can grow around 5 - 40cm long[
451- Title
- Flora Malesiana Series 1
- Publication
-
- Author
- Various
- Website
- http://www.archive.org
- Publisher
- Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
,
2054- Title
- The Genus Lobelia L. (Lobeliaceae) in India
- Publication
- Indian Journal of Forestry, Vol. 33 (4); 625-634, 2010
- Author
- Singh R.Kr. & Diwakar P.G.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.
Lobelia alsinoides is widely distributed, common and without any significant threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
Many, if not all, species in the genus Lobelia contain a range of piperidine alkaloids, particularly lobeline and lobelanine. If ingested, these can cause a range of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma. Generally, the degree of toxicity is only moderate and plants are only harmful in larger quantities - indeed several species have medicinal uses and a few are even eaten as wild foods[
293- Title
- Poisonous Plants of North Carolina
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes.
]
Botanical References
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.
,
451- Title
- Flora Malesiana Series 1
- Publication
-
- Author
- Various
- Website
- http://www.archive.org
- Publisher
- Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
,
2054- Title
- The Genus Lobelia L. (Lobeliaceae) in India
- Publication
- Indian Journal of Forestry, Vol. 33 (4); 625-634, 2010
- Author
- Singh R.Kr. & Diwakar P.G.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
Range
E. Asia - India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China (Hainan), Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia
Habitat
Shady, moist places near ponds, roadside ditches, streams, riverbanks and cultivated fields; at elevations up to 2,400 metres[
2054- Title
- The Genus Lobelia L. (Lobeliaceae) in India
- Publication
- Indian Journal of Forestry, Vol. 33 (4); 625-634, 2010
- Author
- Singh R.Kr. & Diwakar P.G.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. Paddy fields, by water or among wet grasses in forests, wet
places[
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.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual |
| Height | 0.30 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
The plant flowers and produces fruit almost throughout the year[
2054- Title
- The Genus Lobelia L. (Lobeliaceae) in India
- Publication
- Indian Journal of Forestry, Vol. 33 (4); 625-634, 2010
- Author
- Singh R.Kr. & Diwakar P.G.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
This is a polymorphic species with intergrading forms[
451- Title
- Flora Malesiana Series 1
- Publication
-
- Author
- Various
- Website
- http://www.archive.org
- Publisher
- Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked[
2054- Title
- The Genus Lobelia L. (Lobeliaceae) in India
- Publication
- Indian Journal of Forestry, Vol. 33 (4); 625-634, 2010
- Author
- Singh R.Kr. & Diwakar P.G.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. Used as a pot herb[
2054- Title
- The Genus Lobelia L. (Lobeliaceae) in India
- Publication
- Indian Journal of Forestry, Vol. 33 (4); 625-634, 2010
- Author
- Singh R.Kr. & Diwakar P.G.
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2010
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
]. Often cooked in curry[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. A bitter flavour[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. Since this species is easily found in the surroundings, it is often consumed and is considered by many children to be their favourite wild food plant[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
