Sunday 22 September 2024

Redflower Ragleaf

Redflower Ragleaf (Crassocephalum crepidioides, 野茼蒿).

An annual herb, it grounds on the hills in Hunan (this one was near a forest path on Yuelu Mountain) and throughout much of the world. Its leaves and stems are edible and said to have a pine-like taste, and like many plants in Asteraceae it has a long history in medicine, and has been used to treat indigestion and to assist the healing of wounds in many cultures from Africa to South-East Asia.

Redflower Ragleaf on Yuelu Mountain