Algae and Plants
83
Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) (Turcz. ex Stapf.)
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Common name: Manchurian wild rice.
Distribution: Europe: Eastern. Asia—
temperate: Siberia, Soviet Far East, China,
and eastern Asia. Asia— tropical: India,
Indo-China, and Malaysia. Aus tralasia:
New Zealand. Pacific: North-central.
Habitat: Shallow water of lake margins
and swamps.
Description: It is a tall, rhizomatous,
perennial grass that grows up to 3 m
tall. Leaf blades are 30–100 cm long
and 20–30 mm wide; coriaceous. Leaf
blade surface is scaberulous; rough
on both sides. Leaf blade margins are
cartilaginous and apex is attenuated.
Inflorescence is monoecious, with male
and female spikelets in the same inflorescence. Inflorescence is a panicle. The
flowers, root, stem, and seed of this species are edible (http://www.rnzih.org.
nz/pages/nppa_057.pdf).
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition of Shoot (% DM)
Fat
CHO a
Protein
1.0
13.8
8.13
a Carbohydrate.
Minerals (% or mg/100 g DM)
P (%)
N2 (%) K (%) Na (%) Fe (mg) Mg (mg) Cu (mg) Zn (mg)
0.78
1.30
0.46
0.02
0.85
3.34
0.12
4.71
Source: Data from Jain et al. (2011).