Aerva lanata (L.) A.L. Juss. ex Schultes

Family

Amaranthaceae

Synonyms

Achyranthes lanata L., Illecebrum lanatum (L.) L., Achyranthes villosa Forssk.

Vernacular Names

Geographical Distributions

Aerva lanata is found in Africa, Madagascar, the Sey­chelles and other islands in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia from Arabia to India, Sri Lanka, In­do-China and Malaysia (Sumatra, Bangka, Java, the Philippines, Timor, the Aru Islands and south­ern and south-eastern New Guinea).

Description

Aerva lanata is a perennial, erect herb that can reach up to 110 cm tall. The main branches and the upper part of the stem are often unbranched for a considerable length. The internodes are usu­ally shorter than 2 cm.

The leaves are arranged alternate, ovate-el­liptical to obovate and measuring 0.5-5 cm x 0.3-3 cm. The spikes are up to 2.5 cm long. The tepals are 1-1.5 mm long and with 2 spreading stigmas.

The fruiting spike easily breaks up.

Ecology / Cultivation

Aerva lanata is lo­cally common along roadsides, in abandoned fields and waste places, and up to 100 m altitude in Java.

Line Drawing / Photograph

References

1. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12(1): Medicinal and poisonous plants 1.