Characteristics
A herb which can be erect or hang over. It is 80 cm tall. The stems are angular and curve in a zigzag manner. They often branch from the base upwards. The leaves are oval and 1-3 cm long by 0.3-1.5 cm wide. The leaves are wedge shaped at the base and have a sharp point at the tip. The leaf stalk is 0.3-2.5 cm long. The side veins can be clearly seen under the leaf. The leaves are without hairs but are sometimes tinged with purple. The flower spikes can be 1-10 cm long and have side clusters. The fruit are smooth and pale. Seeds are 1-1.2 mm across.
| Life form |
annual
|
| Growth form |
herb
|
| Growth support |
-
|
| Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
| Sexuality |
monoecy
|
| Pollination |
anemogamy
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
0.43 - 0.8
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
c4
|
Environment
A tropical plant. It occurs world wide in the tropics. In Papua New Guinea it grows best between 1,200 and 2,000 m altitude. In Nepal it grows between 1500-2300 m altitude.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
Leaves are eaten as a green vegetable, after cooking.
Cultivation
Mostly plants are self sown. Plants can be grown from seed.
| Mode |
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
10 - 15
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
22 - 23
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-29
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
19 - 30
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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