Alternanthera philoxeroides

Botanical Description

Alternanthera philoxeroides is a herbaceous, perennial plant with creeping stems that form roots at the nodes. The stems usually become ascending towards their apex and can be 55 - 120cm long; they are often much-branched, with the plant forming a dense mat of growth[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine. It has been used in aquaculture to remove pollutants from the water and as a source of biomass, though thi should be done with care because of the plant's high propensity to become an invasive weed.