Paddy Clove

Ludwigia perennis is an important medicinal plant in Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicine. Its native range is tropical and subtropical Old World. The leaves are harvested for local use as a food. It is cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are sometimes sold in local markets in west Africa.

Analabanga (India), Xi hua xing liao (Chinese). 

Found in wet places, sandy river beds, along streams, and in rice fields. Grows at an altitude upto 1,500 m.

• Root - taproot system.
• Stem - branched, subglabrous or minutely puberulent on younger parts.
• Leaves - elliptic-lanceolate, 2‒6 × 0.5‒15 cm, base attenuate, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous.
• Flowers - sessile, 4-merous. Calyx tube adnate to ovary; lobes 4, 2 mm long, ovate acuminate. Petals 4‒5 mm long, elliptic, yellow. Stamens 4; filaments short. Ovary 1‒1.5 cm long, linear, 4-celled, 4-angled. Ovules many.
• Fruit - capsule 3–19 mm long, thin-walled, glabrous or puberulent, terete, pale brown, readily and irregularly loculicidal; capsule sessile or on a pedicel up to 6 mm long, often more or less nodding.
• Seeds - ellipsoid, 0·3–0·5 × 0·2–0·25 mm, pluriseriate in each locule of the capsule, free, brown with fine brown lines, raphe very narrow and inconspicuous.

Generatively propagated by seed. 

Alkaloids, tannis, flavonoids, and phenolics compunds.

• In Sidha medicine, plant boiled in oil and applied toreduce fever, body ache, a postpartum remedy. Plant paste with turmeric applied for eczema and other skin diseases. Leaves of L. perennis, Punica granatum, Syzygium cumini and Aegle marmelos boiled together and the extract given for chronic dysentery. Leaf decoction given in urinary problem of children. Leaves paste applied against eczema and ring worm.
• Tender shoot is rubbed on aching gums.
• Studies have shown anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-tumor, immunomodulatory activity, anti-arthritic, hepatoprotective, anti-androgenic, hypocholesterolemic, 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, anti-histaminic, anticoronary, insectifuge, antieczemic, and antibacterial activities.