Artanema longifolium (L.) Vatke

A herb. It grows 1 m high. The stems are hollow and slightly fleshy. They are almost square or winged. The leaves are simple and opposite. The leaves are broadly sword shaped. They are 4-25 cm long by 1-9 cm wide. It has deep purple red flowers. These are at the top of the plant along stalks 40 cm long. The fruit is a flattened round capsule. It has many seeds. The seeds are narrowly oval and yellow-brown.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in water and wet places in West and Central Africa. It can grow near rice fields and in soggy grassland. It grows up to 400 m above sea level. They grow in the moist tropics. It grows in marshy places.

The leaves are eaten as a vegetable.

It can be grown from seed or stem cuttings.