Description
Heartshape false pickerelweed is a species of flowering plant in the water hyacinth family known by several common name includes oval-leafed pondweed.
It is native to much of Asia and across many of the Pacific Islands, and it is known in other areas as an introduced species. It is often an invasive noxious weed, and is listed on the United States Federal Noxious Weed List. An aquatic plant, it is invasive in rice paddies and other water bodies. This is an annual or perennial herb growing in water from a small rhizome. It is quite variable in morphology. The shiny green leaves are up to about 12 centimeters long and 10 wide and are borne on rigid, hollow petioles. The inflorescence bears 3 to 25 flowers which open underwater and all around the same time. Each has six purple-blue tepals just over a centimeter long. The fruit is a capsule about a centimeter long which contains many tiny winged seeds.
Characteristics:
Leaves: Younger plants have leaves that are 2-12.5 cm. long and 0.5-10 cm. wide. Older plants have leaves that float, linear or lanceolate in shape. Even older plants have ovate-oblong to broadly ovate, sharply acuminate with a heart-shaped or rounded base, shiny, deep green in color with longitudinal veins.
Stems: Glabrous, shiny.
Flowers: Few to numerous, in racemes, 0.79-1.6 in. long and usually bear 2-8 flowers that are violet or lilac in color.
Fruit and seeds: Ellipsoid, 3-valved capsules, 0.4 in. long, 8-12 longitudinal ribs.
Medicinal Uses:
The leaves of Heartshape false pickerelweed are eaten as food. It is also used in traditional medicine against cough.
The juice of the roots is used to treat stomach and liver problems.
The juice is also used as a treatment for asthma and to relieve toothache.
The leaves are used to treat fevers. The juice of the leaves is used for curing coughs.
The leaves are pounded, then mixed with turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Portulaca pilosa, and applied to boils after they have burst.