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Alternanthera sessilis 'Red'
| Family Name: | Amaranthaceae |
| Common Name: | Red Sessile Joyweed, Red Carpet Weed, Bayam Keremak Merah, Red Ceylon Spinach, 红田乌, 红田乌草 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Creeper, Herbaceous Plant |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Leggy |
| Maximum Height | 40 cm |
| Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width | 25 cm |
Biogeography
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal |
|---|---|
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Perennial herb with a creeping growth habit up to 0.5 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Narrow, elongated leaves are reddish purple with entire leaf margin (smooth edges). |
| Stems | Stems are smooth and reddish purple. |
| Flowers | Small, reddish pink and white flowers are small, round and shaped like pom-poms. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Medicinal: Scientific Evidence of Medicinal Properties In pre-clinical trials, Red Carpet Weed showed anti-diabetic (Hossain et al., 2014), pain-relieving (Mondal et al., 2014), anti-inflammation (Subhashini et al., 2010), antioxidant (Phusrisom et al., 2013) and cholesterol-lowering properties (Rohini & Doss, 2010) in animals. Traditional Medicinal Uses Research supports the traditional use of Red Carpet Weed to treat diabetes, wounds, bronchitis, cough and hypertension. Other traditional uses include treating flatulence, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and dysentery. It is important to note that some therapeutic effects from traditional medicinal uses of plants are not currently supported or verified by scientific research. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Container Planting |
| Thematic Landscaping | Economic Garden |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Stem Cutting |
| Maintenance Requirements Remarks | Plant tends to be 'leggy' and exhibit poor coverage of ground. |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Red |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Elliptical) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate, Acute |
| Foliar Base | Cuneate |
| Typical Foliar Area | Microphyll ( 2.25cm2 - 20.25 cm2 ) |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Herbaceous |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground (Fibrous Root) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | White |
|---|---|
| Flowering Period | Free-Flowering |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
References
| References | Hossain, A.I., Faisal, M., Rahman, S., Jahan, R., & Rahmatullah, M. (2014). A preliminary evaluation of antihyperglycemic and analgesic activity of Alternanthera sessilis aerial parts. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 14: 169. Mondal, H., Saha, S., Awang, K., Hossain, H., Ablat, A., Islam, M.K., Jahan, I.A., Sadhu, S.K., Hossain, M.G., Shilpi, J.A. & Uddin, S.J. (2014). Central-stimulating and analgesic activity of the ethanolic extract of Alternanthera sessilis in mice. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 14: 398. Phusrisom, S., Chatuphonprasert, W., Monthakantirat, O., Pearaksa, P. & Jarukamjorn, K. (2013). Alternanthera sessilis and Alternanthera bettzickiana improved superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in the livers of ovariectomized mice. Journal of Applied Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics 1: 64–71. Rohini, A., Doss, D. & Arokia, V. (2010). Anti-lipidemic effect of Alternanthera sessilis Linn in diabetic rats. Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2(2): 169–170. Subhashini, T., Krishnaveni, T. & Srinivas, R.C. (2010). Anti-inflammatory activity of leaf extracts of Alternanthera sessilis. Hygeia Journal for Drugs & Medicines 2(1): 54–56. |
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Others
| Master ID | 29124 |
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| Species ID | 3433 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
