Edible Parts: Fruit Seed Stem
Edible Uses:
Fruit[2]. Soft and pulpy, it is about the size of a small orange[2]. It is highly esteemed in China as a cooling tonic food[183]. Seed - fresh or dried[183, 200]. The seed is about the size of a pea, each fruit containing from 8 to 15 seeds[2]. The seed is usually roasted and then eaten[218]. It is also used as a source of starch[183]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. Very young stalks and rhizomes[2, 183]. Rich in starch[2].
| Composition
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| Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
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Seed (Dry weight)
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- 400 Calories per 100g
- Water : 0%
- Protein: 10.3g; Fat: 0.2g; Carbohydrate: 89g; Fibre: 0.2g; Ash: 0.6g;
- Minerals - Calcium: 34mg; Phosphorus: 100mg; Iron: 1.5mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 66mg; Zinc: 0mg;
- Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;
- Reference: [ 218]
- Notes:
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Analgesic Aphrodisiac Astringent Deobstruent Oxytoxic Tonic
The leaf is used in cases of difficult parturition[218]. All parts of the plant are considered to be astringent, deobstruent and tonic[218]. The seed is a sweet and sour astringent herb that acts as a tonic for the kidney and the spleen[238]. The seed is analgesic and aphrodisiac[218]. It is taken internally in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea, vaginal discharge, kidney weakness associated with frequent urination, impotence, premature and involuntary ejaculation and nocturnal emissions[238, 279].
Management: Standard Regional Crop Staple Crop: Balanced carb
A water plant, it requires a rich soil, preferably growing in still water[238]. It can be grown in still or slowly flowing water[200]. In cultivation in temperate greenhouses, the plant is often grown as an annual[200]. It requires about 0.75 cubic metres of root run[200]. This species is not very cold hardy. One report says that it succeeds in zone 8[200] which would mean that it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c but this must be viewed with some doubt. It is unlikely to succeed outdoors in Britain, at least when grown as a perennial[K]. Frequently cultivated as an edible plant in China and India, the seeds are normally available in Chinatown markets in the West[183].
Carbon Farming
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Management: Standard
Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
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Regional Crop
These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
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Staple Crop: Balanced carb
(0-15 percent protein, 0-15 percent oil, with at least one over 5 percent). The carbohydrates are from either starch or sugar. Annuals include maize, wheat, rice, and potato. Perennials include chestnuts, carob, perennial fruits, nuts, cereals, pseudocereals, woody pods, and acorns.
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
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Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.