Powerful Weed

Karisalankanni is a medicinal weed found across the world

- Meenakshi Sushma

KARISALANKANNI (Eclipta prostrata) finds mention in L G Holm’s 1977 book, World’s Worst Weeds: Distribution and Biology. It is a worthy contender, having the ability to thrive among at least 17 types of crops, including sugarcane, flax, corn, rice, taro, papaya, banana, peanut, soybean and barley, states the book. Native to Asia, the herb spread to countries like France as a contaminant in rice seed.

Though karisalankanni is a small wild herb, growing barely 8 cm, spinach-sellers in Chennai supply it on demand. When I was young, my grandmother would prepare porriyal (a dry dish) or thogayal (a chutney-like preparation) from karisalankanni leaves. Unlike porriyal, thogayal is prepared from cooked or roasted ingredients. It is generally mixed with rice and served. The herb tastes bitter and pungent, but is full of medicinal qualities.