Asystasia gangetica (L.) T.Anderson

Code

Mayotte: Asystasia gangetica flowers and fructifies all around the year.

A. gangetica is a perennial plant. It multiplies mainly by seeds.

Comoros: A. gangetica is a fairly common weed in the three islands of Comoros. It is found mainly in undergrowth of banana and vanilla plantations. It was observed in all regions of the islands up to 500 m altitude.
French Guyana: Nitrophilic species, favored by regular fertilizer inputs. The covering of the ground by this plant can be very important (up to 90 %) in case of abundant fertilization. Present in vegetable and fruit crops.
Madagascar: A. gangetica is an adventitious and ruderal species common in all climatic regions of Madagascar. It grows on roadsides and edge of canals, on slopes, sometimes in relatively long cycle crops down the slopes (cassava, sugar cane, etc.).
Mauritius: Species that grows on roadside, as undergrowth of filaos, in the sugar cane fields and in various cultures. However, it remains fairly localized.
Mayotte: Asystasia gangetica is a species particularly present in ylang-tree plots and fruit crops and in all but the driest disturbed areas.
Reunion: A. gangetica is fairly common, on the slopes or at the roadside. It looks for fresh and enlightened areas. It is present in the humid coast as well as in the average altitude if it is on irrigated areas or near canals.
Seychelles: A. gangetica is present in many areas, from coastal areas to higher altitudes, including forest.

Local harmfulness

Comoros: A. gangetica is a very common weed of banana and vanilla crops. It grows abundantly at the foot of vines and at the stake of vanilla
Madagascar: A weed often scarce in crops.
Mauritius: A weed rare in cultures where it has a low harmfulness.
Mayotte: It is an abundant weed in the northern and central part of the island.
Reunion: A. gangetica is present in 13% of cultivated plots, co-habit poorly with sugarcane plant as soon as the latter is developed. That is why it is found on the outskirts of the field, in small canes or in holes that may exist within a field (irregular, rocky flush plate). However, this is a major weed of pineapple crops in the northern and eastern coast of the island. Of 100% of surveys of this area, it is still abundant, sometimes reaching 85% recovery. This is the most harmful species on this area. In Southern pineapple plots of the island, A. gangetica can be found only in 2 sites, including one with a 100%covering. This weed multiplies mainly by seeds, projected a few meters when the capsules open. But also by rooting at the nodes of the stem in contact with the ground. In a new pineapple plantation, it is very important to select ratoons from a plot free of A. gangetica since projected seeds are often collected at the base of pineapple leaves.
Seychelles: A. gangetica is a serious weed of many crops, particularly fruit trees, coconuts, pineapples, ornamental plants.

Food: In Mayotte, the young leaves and shoots of Asystasia gangetica are eaten in soup or as a green vegetable. They can be dried and ground into powder to be consumed in the dry season.
Fodder: This species can be given to livestock as a fodder supplement.
Medicinal: It has many medicinal virtues: in Mayotte, it is used to treat hemorrhoids, in case of abdominal syndrome or colitis. In Africa, the infusion of the plant can relieve the pains of the childbirth and look after wounds.
Agronomic: Asystasia gangetica can be used as a cover plant in orchards.

Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Asystasia%2520gangetica