Botanical name: Gynura bicolor    Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)
Synonyms: Gynura angulosa, Gynura purpurascens, Cacalia bicolor

Okinawan Spinach is a perennial herb up to 1 m tall. The light green, fleshy leaves, 15 cm long, have a reddish purple underside, are covered in soft, short hairs and have a 0.3-3 cm long leaf-stalk. The lower leaves are purple, while the young, upper leaves are green. The hairless, ribbed stem may be red, purple or green. The thistle-like, compound flower is a cylindrical head, 1.3-1.6 cm long, 0.5-0.6 cm wide, composed of yellow or orange, tubular florets. The dry, one-seeded fruit is 3-4 mm long. Young leaves and shoots are cooked as a vegetable, added to soups etc. In Japan, the succulent leaves are eaten flavoured with a sauce of saki, shoyu and vinegar. It is a nutritious vegetable, and is commonly consumed in parts of India. Okinawan Spinach is native to the Indian Subcontinent, including the Himalaya, to China and SE Asia, at altitudes of 600-1500 m. Flowering: May-October.
Medicinal uses: Some Naga tribes in NE India, in their folk medicine system commonly use the hot water decoction of young tender leaves of Okinawan Spinach as a deworming remedy.

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The flower labeled Okinawan Spinach is ...