Persicaria tinctoria (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Persicaria tinctoria (Aiton) Spach
- Family: Polygonaceae
Synonyms
- Polygonum tinctorium Aiton.
Vernacular names
- Vietnam: nghê' nhuôm, nghê' cham.
Distribution
P. tinctorium is native to China and northern Vietnam. It is cultivated in Vietnam, China and Japan, formerly also in the Soviet Union.
Uses
From the leaves a dark blue dye ("Chinese indigo") can be prepared, used for dyeing cotton cloth.
Observations
A little branched erect herb with terminal panicles, up to 15 cm long. The leaves contain indican just like "true" indigo (Indigofera spp.), and this substance can be hydrolized and oxidized to indigo-blue. Plants can be harvested within a year after sowing.
Selected sources
12, 14, 21, 30, 31, 40, 44, 50.