Telosma cordata

Telosma cordata
Telosma cordata [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Genus: Telosma
Species: T. cordata
Binomial name
Telosma cordata
(Burm.f.) Merr.
Synonyms[2]
  • Oxystelma ovatum P.T. Li & S.Z. Huang
  • Pergularia minor Andrews
  • Telosma minor (Andrews) W. G. Craib
  • Telosma odoratissima (Lour.) Coville

Telosma cordata is a species of flowering plant native to China. It is cultivated elsewhere and may occur wild as an introduced species. Common names include Chinese violet, cowslip creeper, Pakalana vine, Tonkin jasmine, Tonkinese creeper. The plant bears clusters of golden yellow blooms along the vining stems during summer months. Individual blooms emerge successively over a period of weeks emitting a rich, heavy fragrance during the day and night. Caution, stem is poisonous to pigs.

Characteristics

The Cowslip is classified as a creeper that can climb as far as 2-5 meters. The vine is small, round and very tough. As the tree is older, the vine will change from green to brown. The top is covered with dense white bush that can cover other trees completely. The Cowslip is reproduced by cutting or seeding. It can grow in airy soil and in bright sunlight. It can be found in dry evergreens, mixed deciduous forests, grove woods and dry dipterocarp forests all over Thailand.

Leaf

The Cowslip has single heart-shaped leaves growing in pairs. The leaf is about 4-7.5 cm wide and about 6-11 cm long with smooth underside. Thickness of the leaf is very small, veins can be clearly seen. The stem is about 1.2-2 cm long.

Flower

Cowslip leaves

The flowers of the Cowslip blooms as a bouquet consisting of about 10-20 flowers. The greenish-yellow flower has a strong fragrance especially in the evening. It has a diameter of about 1.5 cm with 5 petals and 5 stamens which is connected to each other and to the pistils. Blooming season of the Cowslip is March-May although sometimes in July-October.

Cowslip flowers

Fruit

The fruit of the Cowslip is smooth, green and round with pointy ends. The inside contains large amount of flat seeds with white fluff attached to the end. The produce season is around June-August.

Uses

Cowslip in fried egg

The top, fruit and flowers can all be consumed as vegetables, or cooked in dishes. The top is believed to be the most nutritious. The flower is used in desserts and for ornamental purposes in bouquets and wreaths. The plant's vines are tough and can be used as rope. The wood can be used for construction in some cases. The plant has also been used for traditional medicinal purposes, as an antipyretic, an antidote for poison, a tranquilizer, and for the relief of backbone pain.[3]

Nutritional value per 100 g.

Nutritions Value per 100 g.
Carbohydrate 10.6 g.
Protein 5.0 g.
Fat 1.1 g.
Fibre 0.8 g.
Water 80.5 g.
Vitamin A 3.0 g.
Vitamin B1 0.0004 g.
Vitamin B2 0.0015 g.
Vitamin B3 0.0017 g.
Vitamin C 0.68 g.
Calcium 0.7 g.
Iron 0.01 g.
Phosphorus 0.9 g.

References

  1. ↑ illustration circa 1790 from James Edward Smith and James Sowerby - Icones pictae plantarum rariorum descriptionibus et observationibus illustratae
  2. ↑ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 30 December 2015
  3. ↑ Tanaka, Yoshitaka; Van Ke, Nguyen (2007). Edible Wild Plants of Vietnam: The Bountiful Garden. Thailand: Orchid Press. p. 36. ISBN 9745240893.
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