Common Name: Gooseweed

General Information

Gooseweed is an annual plant with stems that are often much-branched, growing 7 - 150cm tall[].
The edible leaves are gathered from the wild for local consumption. The leaves are sometimes sold in local markets[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa -Senegal, Sierra Leone, Gambia; Guinea, Mali, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, Madagascar.

Habitat

Any kind of damp ground - river banks and dry river beds; damp marshy or periodically inundated depressions; seasonal swamps; sides of ponds; ditches and stagnant water generally, especially rice fields at low elevations up to 350 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of lowland tropical and subtropical areas, both in regions with all year rainfall and those with a distinct dry season[].

Originally native to Africa, the plant has spread widely as a weed through many areas of the tropics and subtropics. Almost every flower on every inflorescence sets fruit; only one or two flowers are open at once on any one head so the seed is produced over a long season[]. It has become invasive in some areas[].

Edible Uses

Leaves and young shoot tips - cooked and eaten as a potherb, mixed with grated coconut or served as a side dish with rice[, ]. A slightly bitter but pleasant flavour[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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