iIpomoea aquatica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Solanales Family: Convolvulaceae Genus: Ipomoea Species: I. aquatica
Binomial name
Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.

Ipomoea aquatica is a semi-aquatic tropical plant grown as a leaf vegetable. Its precise natural distribution is unknown due to extensive cultivation, with the species found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 404 KB) Leaves and flower of Ipomoea aquatica (Convolvulaceae), growing near Kahuku on O‘ahu in Hawai‘i. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta - rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta - zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta - trimerophytes Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also angiosperms or Magnoliophyta) are one of the major groups of modern plants, comprising those that produce seeds in specialized reproductive organs called flowers, where the ovulary or carpel is enclosed. ... Orders See text. ... Families at least the following: Solanaceae Convolvulaceae and others, varying between classification systems; for details see text The Solanales are an order of flowering plants, included in the asterid group of dicotyledons. ... Genera See text The Convolvulaceae, the bindweed or morning glory family, is a group of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species of mostly herbaceous vines, but also trees, shrubs and herbs. ... Species I. alba- Moonflower I. aquatica- Water spinach I. batatas- Sweet potato I. purpurea I. violacea - Beach morning glory The Genus Ipomoea, with over 500 species, is the largest genus in the Family Convolvulaceae. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Peter Forsskål (sometimes also Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl) (born in Helsinki, 11 January 1732, died in Yemen, 11 July 1763), Swedish explorer, orientalist and naturalist. ... Aquatic plants — also called hydrophytic plants or hydrophytes — are plants that have adapted to living in or on aquatic environments. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... Fresh Swiss chard Fresh water spinach Creamed spinach Steamed kale Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. ...

Common names include water spinach, swamp cabbage, water convolvulus, water morning-glory, kangkung (Malay), kang kung (Sinhalese), trawkoon ( Khmer: ត្រកូន), pak boong (in Thai: ผักบุ้ง) (Thai), rau muống (Vietnamese), kongxincai (Chinese: 空心菜; pinyin: kōngxīncài; literally "hollow vegetable"), or ong choy (Cantonese pronunciation of Chinese: 蕹菜 ngônkcôi; pinyin: wéngcài). // Headline text Bold text Not to be confused with the Malayalam language, spoken in India. ... Sinhala (also referred to as Sinhalese; earlier referred to as Singhalese) is the mother tongue of the Sinhalese, the largest ethnic group of Sri Lanka. ... Khmer (ភាសាខ្មែរ) is one of the main Austroasiatic languages. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme... Standard Cantonese is a variant, and is generally considered the prestige dialect of Cantonese Chinese. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme...

Ipomoea aquatica grows in water or on moist soil. Its stems are 2-3 m or more long, hollow, allowing them to float, and these root at the nodes. The leaves vary from sagittate (typical) to lanceolate, 5-15 cm long and 2-8 cm broad. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, 3-5 cm diameter, usually white in colour. Water is a chemical substance that is essential to all known forms of life. ... Loess field in Germany Soil horizons are formed by combined biological, chemical and physical alterations. ... The leaves of a Beech tree A leaf with laminar structure and pinnate venation In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. ... Field of Poppy flowers Cluster of Clivia miniata flowers A flower, (<Old French flo(u)r<Latin florem<flos), also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). ...

Cultivation and culinary uses

Ong choy water spinach.

It is most commonly grown in East and Southeast Asia. Because it flourishes naturally in waterways and does not require much if any care, it is used extensively in Malay and Chinese cuisine, especially in rural or kampung (village) areas. It is not to be mistaken with watercress, which often grows in similar situations. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x850, 1561 KB) Summary Ong choy water spinach leaf. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x850, 1561 KB) Summary Ong choy water spinach leaf. ... East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China Rural areas (also referred to as the country, countryside) are sparsely settled places away from the influence of large cities. ... Kampong or kampung is a word in Malay and Indonesian language which means village. The word is also a common title for names of places in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore which, although modern, retains the word kampong for historical purposes. ... Species Nasturtium nasturtium-aquaticumL. Nasturtium microphyllumBoenn ex Rchb. ...

It has also been introduced to United States of America where its high growth rate caused it to become an environmental problem, especially in Florida and Texas. It has been officially designated by the USDA as a "noxious weed." Despite this ominous lable, the plant is not in any way harmful when consumed ("noxious" is a legal term denoting harmful, in this case, to native plants). In fact, the plant is similar to spinach in its nutritional benefits. This article is about unwanted plants. ... Binomial name Spinacia oleracea L. Percentages are relative to US RDI values for adults. ...

The vegetable is a common ingredient in Southeast Asian dishes. In Singapore, Indonesia and Penang, the leaves are usually stir fried with both Malay and Chinese seasonings, including chile peppers, garlic, ginger, dried shrimp paste (belacan) and other spices. In Penang and Ipoh, it is cooked with cuttlefish and a sweet and spicy sauce. During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore in World War II, the vegetable grew remarkably well and easily in many areas, and become a popular wartime crop. State motto: Bersatu dan Setia (United and Loyal), formerly Let Penang Lead Location in Malaysia Government Capital George Town (5. ... Stir frying is a common Chinese cooking technique used because of its fast cooking speed. ... The cuisine of a country is generally a microcosm of the nation and Malaysian cuisine reflects the multi racial aspects of Malaysia. ... The chile pepper, chili pepper, or chilli pepper, or simply chile, is the fruit of the plant Capsicum from the nightshade family, Solanaceae. ... Binomial name Allium sativum L. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant in the family Alliaceae and genus Allium, closely related to the onion, shallot, and leek. ... Binomial name Zingiber officinale Roscoe Ginger is used extensively as a spice in cuisines throughout the world. ... Superfamilies Alpheoidea Atyoidea Bresilioidea Campylonotoidea Crangonoidea Galatheacaridoidea Nematocarcinoidea Oplophoroidea Palaemonoidea Pandaloidea Pasiphaeoidea Procaridoidea Processoidea Psalidopodoidea Stylodactyloidea True shrimp are small, swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. ... Belacan (also spelled belachan, blachang, balachong) is a Malay condiment prepared from fermented krill. ... Screen shot of Spice OPUS, a fork of Berkeley SPICE SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuits Emphasis) is a general purpose analog circuit simulator. ... State motto: Bersatu dan Setia (United and Loyal), formerly Let Penang Lead Location in Malaysia Government Capital George Town (5. ... Nickname: City of Millionaires or Bougainvillea City Location in Malaysia Coordinates: Country Malaysia State Perak Establishment Around 1880 Mayor Mohamad Rafiai Moktar Area    - City 643 km²  (248. ... Families Sepiadariidae Sepiidae Cuttlefish are marine animals of the order Sepiida belonging to the Cephalopoda class (which also include squids, octopuses and nautilus). ... The Japanese Occupation of Singapore was to become a major turning point in the history of several nations, including that of the Japanese, who rampaged down the Malay Peninsula with the singular intent of occupying Singapore to gain greater control over her war-time resource gathering efforts, the British, with... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead...

PenangKangkung Blachan

In Chinese cuisine, there are numerous ways of preparation, but a simple and quick stir-fry either plain or with minced garlic is probably the most common. In Cantonese cuisine, a popular variation adds preserved beancurd - a method known in the Mandarin language as furu (pickled tofu). In Hakka cuisine, yellow bean paste is added, sometimes along with fried shallots. The vegetable is also extremely popular in Taiwan, where it grows well. Image File history File links Kangkungblacan. ... Image File history File links Kangkungblacan. ... State motto: Bersatu dan Setia (United and Loyal), formerly Let Penang Lead Location in Malaysia Government Capital George Town (5. ... Stir frying is a common Chinese cooking technique used because of its fast cooking speed. ... Binomial name Allium sativum L. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant in the family Alliaceae and genus Allium, closely related to the onion, shallot, and leek. ... Doufu/tofu, or bean curd, is a food made by coagulating soy milk with calcium sulfate (gypsum), nigari (a sea_salt derived compound rich in magnesium chloride), or other agents, and then pressing into blocks, similar to the way China in the second century BC, during the Japan in the Nara... This article is on all of the Northern Chinese dialects. ... Pickled tofu (豆腐乳 in Chinese, Pinyin: dòufu rǔ, lit. ... Binomial name Allium oschaninii O. Fedtsch For other uses, see Shallot (disambiguation). ...

In Thailand it is frequently stir fried with oyster sauce and shrimp paste. It can be eaten raw with Lao green papaya salad. A dish of som tam, made with papaya, beans, chili and lime Som tam (Thai/Isan ส้มตำ) is a spicy papaya salad originating in Laos and the Isan region of Thailand. ...

In Vietnam, it once served as a staple vegetable of the poor (known as 'rau muống'). In the south, it is cut into thin pieces and eaten with many kinds of noodles, and used as a garnish as well. Through the course of time, Ipomoea aquatica has developed into being ingredient for many daily vegetable dishes of Vietnamese cuisine as a whole.

In the Philippines, it is usually sauteed in cooking oil, onions, garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce. This dish is called "adobong kangkong". It is also a common leaf vegetable in sour fish and meat stews like "sinigang". Binomial name Allium cepa L. Onion in the general sense can be used for any plant in the genus Allium but used without qualifiers usually means Allium cepa, also called the garden onion. ... Soy sauce (US) or soya sauce is a fermented sauce made from soybeans (soya beans), roasted grain, water and salt. ... Adobo, a common dish in the Philippines, is typically made from pork or chicken, slow-cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaf, and black peppercorns. ... Sinigang is a Philippine dish famed for the variety of ingredients one can use as well for its taste. ...

There is concern that, eaten raw, the plant could transmit fasciolopsiasis, a parasite of humans and pigs [1]. Fasciolopsiasis results from infection by the trematode Fasciolopsis buski (Lankester 1857) Odhner 1902, the largest intestinal fluke of humans. ... A parasite is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life in or on the living tissue of a host organism and which causes harm to the host without immediately killing it. ...

Cultural references

There is a belief in Chinese culture that discourages extensive consumption of Ipomoea aquatica as a staple food crop (in contrast to rice) with the explanation that the hollow stem makes the person weak and hollow like the plant, although this belief does not advocate refraining from eating the plant entirely. But the elderly, for example, are discouraged from consuming it. This is the current collaboration of the week! Please help improve it to featured article standard. ... A staple food is a food that forms the basis of a traditional diet, particularly that of the poor. ... Agriculture (a term which encompasses farming) is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other goods by the systematic raising of plants and animals. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice is two species (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) of grass, native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeastern Asia and to Africa, which together provide more than one fifth of the calories consumed by humans[1]. (The term wild rice can refer to wild species... Old age consists of ages nearing the average lifespan of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle. ...

This belief probably derived from ancient observations following attempts to replace consumption of rice with the relatively resilient Ipomoea aquatica during times of food shortages and war and noting loss of muscle strength, probably due to the fact that Ipomoea aquatica contains less food energy than rice. The growth rate of the plant (vine) is high, highly prized in Chinese restaurants. Leaves are fleshy and starchy. A war is a conflict between two or more groups that involve large numbers of individuals. ... Food energy is the amount of energy in food that is available through digestion. ...

External links

• Germplasm Resources Information Network: Ipomoea aquatica
• Multilingual taxonomic information from the University of Melbourne
• Water spinach nutritional information from Kasetsart University
• Photo of heart-shaped variety
• Aquatic, Wetland and Invasive Plant Particulars and Photographs
• USDA Noxious Weed Regulations (Possession in USA requires permit)
• Helminths and Helminthiosis of Pigs in the Mekong Delta Vietnam with Special Reference to Ascariosis and Fasciolopsis buski Infection