Mukunuwanna Alternanthera sessilis

Common name - Mukunuwanna

Botanical name - Alternanthera sessilis

Family - Amaranthaceae

Life cycle - Annual

Morphology 

• Roots: Adventitious roots are coming out from the nodes.
• Stem: Prostrate, rarely ascending.
• Leaves: Leaves obovate to broadly elliptic, occasionally linear-lanceolate, 1-15 cm long, 0.3-3 cm wide, glabrous to sparsely villous, petioles 1-5 mm long.
• Flower: White. Flowers in sessile spikes, bract and bracteoles shiny white, 0.7-1.5 mm long, glabrous; sepals equal, 2.5-3 mm long, outer ones 1-nerved or indistinctly 3-nerved toward base; stamens 5, 2 sterile.

Propagation 

• By Seeds stem or roots

Agricultural usage/ importance

• Tender leaves and stems are used as a leafy vegetable 

Control method 

• Paraquat 1.1 L in 550 L water/ha
• Glyphosate 1.2-1.4 L in 550 L water/ha