Neptunia oleracea - Sensitive Water Plant

As the common name suggests, the leaves, like the land based Touch Me Not plant, close when they are touched. The floating (mature) stems of this tropical plant are covered in spongy tissue, full of air cells. This plant has a thick taproot that becomes woody. Stems can be up to 1.5 m long becoming detached from primary root system and forming spongy-fibrous swollen internodes, like little drums to float, and rooting at nodes when growing in water. It is found in fresh water ponds, swamps and canals in South-East Asia at low altitudes up to 300 m. The plant will perish once the water level falls and it prefers 30-80 cm depth of slow moving water, full sun and hot humid conditions to survive. This plant can be consumed as a vegetable, raw, cooked or fried.