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Achyranthes bidentata
  • Niu Xi

a perennial member of the Achyranthes genus in the family Amaranthaceae.

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Niche
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The ecosystem niches for this plant are unknown. Do you know them? Click the edit button to add them!
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • light shade
    Light shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Loamy
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 8
    Zone 8
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Achyranthes bidentata has 0 edible uses listed
Achyranthes bidentata has 0 material uses listed
Achyranthes bidentata has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Toxic parts

One report suggests that the root is poisonous[1].

Edible uses

Notes

Seed - cooked. A good substitute for cereal grains in bread-making, they have often been used for this purpose in famine years[2][3][4]. Leaves - cooked[3][5]. Used as a vegetable in the same manner as spinach[1].

Leaves

Unknown use

Seed

Unknown use

Material uses

Two insect-moulting hormones are found in the roots[6]. Can this have a practical application as an insecticide? The stem of the plant is used as a toothbrush that is said to be good for the teeth and is also a treatment for pyorrhoea[7].

Unknown part

Insecticide
Dental care

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The roots, leaves and stems are widely used in Chinese herbal medicine[4]. They are anodyne, antirheumatic, bitter, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue and vasodilator. They act predominantly on the lower half of the body and are used in the treatment of aching back and knees and asthenia of the lower limbs[8][4][9]. Research suggests that they can cause dilation of the cervix and so this herb should not be used when pregnant[4].

The herb is taken internally to treat hypertension, back pains, urine in the blood, menstrual pain, bleeding etc[4]. The root juice is used in Nepal in the treatment of toothache[7]. This juice is also used in the treatment of indigestion and is considered to be a good treatment for asthma[7]. The stem of the plant is used as a toothbrush that is said to be good for the teeth and is also a treatment for pyorrhoea[7].

The plant can be used fresh or dried. The leaves and stems are harvested in the summer and are usually crushed for their juice or used in tinctures[4]. The roots are harvested from 1 or 2 year old plants in the autumn or winter and usually dried and ground into a powder or used in decoctions[4].

Unknown part

Anodyne
Antirheumatic
Bitter
Digestive
Diuretic
Emmenagogue
Vasodilator
Antiasthmatic
Odontalgic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - sow late spring in a greenhouse. Germination should be fairly rapid, prick out the seedlings into individual pots of fairly rich soil when they are large enough to handle. It is probably wise to grow this plant on in the greenhouse for its first winter, planting it out into its permanent position in late spring after the last expected frosts.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Achyranthes bidentata. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Prefers a rich, sandy, slightly acid soil in partial shade[4].

This species is probably not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to at least -5°c[4]. When grown in a rich soil the roots can be up to 1.2 metres long[4].

Widely cultivated in China, especially in Henan Province, as a medicinal plant[4] and as a food plant[1].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Achyranthes bidentata. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Achyranthes bidentata.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Achyranthes bidentata
Genus
Achyranthes
Family
Amaranthaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[2][3][4][5][1]
Medicinal uses
[4][8][9][7]
Material uses & Functions
[6][7]
Botanic
[10][4]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
8
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
light shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
    Ecosystems
    Native Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Adapted Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Native Geographical Range
    None listed.
    Native Environment
    None listed.
    Ecosystem Niche
    None listed.
    Root Zone Tendancy
    None listed.
    Life
    Deciduous or Evergreen
    ?
    Herbaceous or Woody
    ?
    Life Cycle
    perennial
    Growth Rate
    ?
    Mature Size
    0.75 x 0.4 meters
    Fertility
    ?
    Pollinators
    ?
    Flower Colour
    ?
    Flower Type
    hermaphrodite

    "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


    "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.






    References

    1. ? 1.01.11.21.3 Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre (1977-00-00)
    2. ? 2.02.1 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
    3. ? 3.03.13.2 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
    4. ? 4.004.014.024.034.044.054.064.074.084.094.104.114.124.13 Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. ISBN 0-7513-020-31 (1995-00-00)
    5. ? 5.05.1 Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre ()
    6. ? 6.06.1 Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants. ()
    7. ? 7.07.17.27.37.47.5 Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-527-6 (2002-00-00)
    8. ? 8.08.1 Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles (1985-00-00)
    9. ? 9.09.1 Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London ISBN 9-780751-303148 (1996-00-00)
    10. ? Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PFAFimport-74

    "image:Achyranthes bidentata flower.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

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    Facts about "Achyranthes bidentata"RDF feed
    Article is incompleteYes +
    Article requires citationsNo +
    Article requires cleanupYes +
    Belongs to familyAmaranthaceae +
    Belongs to genusAchyranthes +
    Has common nameNiu Xi +
    Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
    Has edible partLeaves + and Seeds +
    Has edible useUnknown use +
    Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
    Has hardiness zone8 +
    Has imageAchyranthes bidentata flower.jpg +
    Has lifecycle typePerennial +
    Has material partUnknown part +
    Has material useInsecticide + and Dental care +
    Has mature height0.75 +
    Has mature width0.4 +
    Has medicinal partUnknown part +
    Has medicinal useAnodyne +, Antirheumatic +, Bitter +, Digestive +, Diuretic +, Emmenagogue +, Vasodilator +, Antiasthmatic + and Odontalgic +
    Has primary imageAchyranthes bidentata flower.jpg +
    Has search nameachyranthes bidentata + and x +
    Has shade toleranceLight shade +
    Has soil ph preferenceAcid + and Neutral +
    Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
    Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
    Has sun preferenceFull sun +
    Has taxonomy nameAchyranthes bidentata +
    Has water requirementsmoderate +
    Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
    Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
    Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +