மூக்கரட்டை Mookarattai

Description

Red Spiderling is a prostrate herb with very diffuse inflorescences. It is a weed found throughout India. Leaves are unequal, ovate, blunt, wavy along margins, flat to omewhat eart-shaped at base, woolly; leaf-stalk to 1 cm long. Inflorescences occur at the end of branches, are forked about 3-6 times, occasionally with sticky internodal bands. Branches are divergent, terminating in compact subumbellate or capitate, 2-5-flowered clusters. Flowers have stalk shorter than 0.5 mm. Bract at base of the flower tube quickly deciduous, lancelike, 0.8-1 mm. Flowers are purplish red to reddish pink or nearly white, bell-shaped beyond the constriction, 1-1.5 mm. Stamens 2-3, are inside the flower or barely protruding out. Tender young leaves and shoots are cooked and used as a vegetable. Red Spiderling is a plant found throughout India.