Algae and Plants
45
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (% DM)
Protein Fat Fiber Moisture Ash CHO a
17.60
5.61 16.41
9.26
12.44 38.67
a Carbohydrate.
Minerals (mg/100 g)
Na
Ca
Fe
P
K
Zn Cu Mg Mn
646 2770 0.78 94.10 668.50 9.81 1.77 1195 19.30
Source: Data from Gbadamosi and Okolosi (2013).
Polygonum barbatum (L.)
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Common name: Jointweed, knotgrass,
smartweed.
Distribution: Southeast Asia, Malaysia
to tropical Australia; tropical Africa.
Habitat: In shallow fresh or brackish
water; pools, marshy sites, along drains;
tidal rice fields.
Description: Terrestrial or aquatic,  perennial, erect herb, up to 2 m long. Roots
are fibrous, white, or brown. Stems are
erect or procumbent, round, hollow,
thickened at nodes, glabrous, or hair.
Leaves are simple, not lobed or divided;
alternate spiral, stalked, more than 2 cm
long/wide, hairy on both sides, margin
entire, apex acute, base acute, or rounded.
Flowers are bisexual, grouped together
into a terminal spike, stalked, white or
pink, petals not visible. Shoot is edible
in this species (http://www.oswaldasia.
org/species/p/polba/polba_en.html).
Nutritional Facts (shoot, % FW)
Lignin Fat CHO a Protein P
N2
K
Na
10
2
3.7
7.5
0.44 1.20 0.015 0.035
a Carbohydrate.
Source: Data from Jain et al. (2011).