Algae and Plants
51
Enhydra fluctuans (Lour.)
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Common name: Kankong-kalabau.
Distribution: Tropical Africa and Asia
to Malaya (Philippine Medicinal Plants).
Habitat: Ponds, swamps, and streams.
Description: It is a trailing, annual
marsh herb, also floating on water. Stem
is 30–60 cm long, rooting at the nodes.
Leaves are sessile, 2.5–7.5 cm long,
linear-oblong, acute, or obtuse, entire
or subcrenate. Flowering heads are
without stalks, borne singly in the axils
of the leaves, and flowers are white
or greenish white. Leaves and young
shoots in this species are eaten as
leafy vegetable (MeD India; Philippine
Medicinal Plants).
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (per DM)
Protein (%) Ash (%)
Beta-carotene a
(mg/100 g)
32.6
14.2
3.7
a Wet weight.
Minerals (% DM)
Na
K
Ca
P
2.6
2.3
0.7
0.7
Source: Data from Devanji et al. (1993).