Common name: Arrow Leaf Pondweed, arrow-leaf monochoria, hastate-leaf pondweed, monochoria • Hindi: लौंकिया Launkia • Bengali: Nukha
Botanical name: Monochoria hastata Family: Pontederiaceae (Pickerel weed family)
Arrow-leaf Pondweed is an emergent aquatic herb with stems approximately
0.7-1.2 m long. The basal leaves are arrow-shaped. The inflorescence of 25-
60 flowers is in a dense spike 6-9 cm long. The flowers are 13-16 mm long,
purple or whitish. One anther is coloured blue, c. 6 mm long, the other 5
anthers are yellow and c. 4 mm long. The seed capsule is 7 mm long, and 5-6
mm diameter. This species occurs in India, Sri Lanka and SE Asia, extending
to New Guinea and Australia. Arrow-leaf Pondweed is often grown as an
ornamental in water gardens, and the entire plant except its roots is eaten
in India. Flowering: March–June.
Medicinal uses: Plant is considered alterative, tonic and
cooling. Juice of leaves is applied to boils. Rhizomes are powdered with
charcoal and used for scurf.
| Photographed in Imphal, Manipur. |
Identification credit: Navendu Pagé
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