Digera muricata

Cultivation Details

A very adaptable plant, it occurs naturally in both tropical and subtropical regions, where it can be found in semi-arid through to quite moist areas^[1]. The plant often occurs as a weed in fields in its native range, and can sometimes become troublesome^[1]. Two distinct subspecies of this plant have been distinguished: subsp. Muricata, which occurs mainly in Asia, but also in eastern Africa and Madagascar; subsp. Trinervis, found mainly in Africa. Based on hairiness of leaves and on form of scales in sterile flowers, several varieties have been distinguished in subsp. Trinervis, of which var. patentipilosa seems most suitable as a leafy vegetable because it has large leaves^[1].