Amaranthaceae FAMILY

Achyranthes bidentata

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

One report suggests that the root is poisonous[ 179 Title Famine Foods listed in the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Publication Author Reid. B. E. Publisher Southern Materials Centre; Taipei Year 1977 ISBN - Description A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating. ].

Botanical Description

Achyranthes bidentata is a perennial plant growing 70 - 120cm tall[ 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. ]. The plant is often harvested from the wild, mainly for use as a medicine, but also as a food and source of a toothbrush. It is widely cultivated in China, especially in Henan Province, as a medicinal plant[ 238 Title Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Publication Author Bown. D. Publisher Dorling Kindersley, London. Year 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31 Description A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant. ] and as a food plant[ 179 Title Famine Foods listed in the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Publication Author Reid. B. E. Publisher Southern Materials Centre; Taipei Year 1977 ISBN - Description A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeE. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to New Guinea.

HabitatForest edges, the sides of streams and shrubberies[ 254 Title The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Publication Author Chevallier. A. Publisher Dorling Kindersley. London Year 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148 Description An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world. ]. Moist shady places at elevations of 1200 - 3000 metres in Nepal[ 272 Title Plants and People of Nepal Publication Author Manandhar. N. P. Publisher Timber Press. Oregon. Year 2002 ISBN 0-88192-527-6 Description Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses. ].