Asteraceae FAMILY

Melanthera biflora

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Melanthera biflora is a coarse-growing perennial plant with stems that can become woody, at least at the base. The branching stems, which are usually 1 - 3 metres long but can reach 6 metres, can scramble over the ground or grow into other plants for support[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. , 490 Title Flora Vitiensis Nova Publication Author Smith. A.C. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii Year 1979 ISBN Description A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeEast tropical Africa - Kenya to Mozambique; subtropical and tropical Asia - from India and China to Malaysia, Indonesia; Australia and Pacific Islands

HabitatNear seashores in Japan[ 58 Title Flora of Japan. (English translation) Publication Author Ohwi. G. Publisher Smithsonian Institution Year 1965 ISBN - Description The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader. ]. Along coasts, on edges of mangrove swamps, in thickets and waste places, and on grassy hills and the edges of forest at elevations from sea level to about 450 metres[ 490 Title Flora Vitiensis Nova Publication Author Smith. A.C. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii Year 1979 ISBN Description A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].