Alternanthera bettzickiana, commonly known as calico-plant, is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. It is commonly used as an ornamental edging plant. The plant is native to South America; its cultivar ‘Red’ is similar in appearance to some of the Alternanthera dentata and Alternanthera brasiliana varieties. Baptist plant, Calico plant, Parrot leaf, border plant, Jacob’s coat, Joseph’s coat, red calico plant, joyed, and shoofly are few of the most popular common names of the Calico plant.
Assamese: Brindabon Australia: Joyweed Chinese: Jǐn xiù xiàn (锦绣苋) Cuba: Adorno de jardín, alternante, borde de playa, San Pedro Dominican Republic: Jamón con pan verdes ElSalvador: Perico English: Baptist plant, Calico plant, Parrot leaf, border plant, Jacob’s coat, Joseph’s coat, red calico plant, joyweed, shoofly French: Alternanthère de Bettzick German: Papageienblatt Honduras: Colchón de niño India: Jal-sachiba; lal mehndi, Madranga Japanese: Moyoubiyu (モヨウビユ), akaba-moyo-biyu, NMoyoubiyu LesserAntilles: Rabbit weed, zeb a albumin Malay: Djukut selon Malayalam: Kāṭṭupeānnāṅkaṇṇi (കാട്ടുപൊന്നാങ്കണ്ണി) Nicaragua: Monte negro PuertoRico: Jamón con huevo, pajarito, sanguinaria, sinvergüencita Spanish: Sanguinaria, jamón con huevos, pajarito, sinvergüencita Tanzania: Mehicha, mehicha mana Thai: Phak pet daeng (ผักเป็ดแดง), Phak pet farang (ผักเป็ดฝรั่ง) Venezuela: Awiri hawapo, woiituño Vietnamese: Dệu đỏ, Dệu dạng sung
Plant Growth Habit
Herbaceous perennial plant
Growing Climates
Open areas of degraded deciduous forest, wastelands and river margins
Soil
Prefers an organically rich, consistently moist, well-drained soil
Plant Size
Between 20 and 50 cm tall
Stem
Erect or creeping, much-branched, with the apical part of the stem quadrangular, and the basal part cylindrical. Some hairs are present at the nodes and the apex, as well as at the level of the short petioles
Leaf
Leaf blade is 1 to 6 mm long and 0.5 to 2 mm wide. It is green, red or green tinged with red or yellow. Its shape is oval, sometimes a little oblong or spatulate. It is not flat but slightly wavy
Flower
Terminal or axillary; there are between 2 and 5 per flower stalk. The bracts measure 1.5 to 3 mm in length and are acuminate. The corolla and calyx are white tepals , the outermost being longer (3 or 4 mm) and hairy than the internal ones. There are 5 stamens with linear anthers. The ovary is smooth, very short style
Fruit Shape & Size
Fruits are slightly more than 1 mm long, enclosed in the persistent perianth segments and bracts.
Alternanthera amabilis var. tricolor Linden & André
Alternanthera amoena (Lem.) Voss
Alternanthera amoena f. amabilis (Lem.) Voss
Alternanthera amoena f. reinhardii Voss
Alternanthera amoena f. sessilis Voss
Alternanthera amoena f. spectabilis Voss
Alternanthera amoena f. typica Voss
Alternanthera articulata O.Stützer
Alternanthera articulata f. capitellata O.Stützer
Alternanthera articulata f. capitulifera O.Stützer
Alternanthera articulata var. minuta O.Stützer
Alternanthera bettzickiana f. aurea Voss
Alternanthera bettzickiana f. kurzii Voss
Alternanthera bettzickiana var. spathulata (Lem.) Seub.
Alternanthera bettzickiana f. spathulata (Lem.) Voss
Alternanthera coerilis Voss
Alternanthera cyclophylla (Seub.) Schinz
Alternanthera ficoidea var. amoena (Lem.) L.B.Sm. & Downs
Alternanthera ficoidea var. bettzickiana (Regel) Backer
Alternanthera ficoidea var. spathulata (Lem.) L.B.Sm. & Downs
Alternanthera ficoides var. bettzickiana (Regel) Backer
Alternanthera kerberi Uline & W.L.Bray
Alternanthera paronychioides Klotzsch ex K.Koch
Alternanthera paronychioides var. bettzickiana (Regel) Fosberg
Alternanthera purpurea Pynaert
Alternanthera reinhardii Voss
Alternanthera rosea Voss
Alternanthera sessilis var. amoena Lem
Alternanthera spathulata Lem
Alternanthera tenella var. bettzickiana (Regel) Veldkamp
Alternanthera variegata K.Koch
Alternanthera versicolor f. aurea Voss
Amarantesia brasiliensis Regel
Telanthera bettzickiana Regel
Telanthera picta (Passarge) C. Koch
Plant Description
Calico plant is an herbaceous perennial plant that grows between 20 and 50 cm tall. The plant is found growing in open areas of degraded deciduous forest, wastelands, and river margins. Normally the plant prefers organically rich, consistently moist and well-drained soil. The stem is erect or creeping, much-branched, with the apical part of the stem quadrangular, and the basal part cylindrical. Few hairs are present at the nodes and the apex, as well as at the level of the short petioles
Leaves
Leaf-blades are about 4-9 cm long and 1.5-4 cm wide, petioles are up to 1-2 cm long but sometimes very short or absent. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade are pilose and pustular. Twigs are longitudinally ribbed, densely clothed in multi-celled, minutely barbed, white hairs.
Flowers
Flowers are present in axillary sessile spikes or clusters. Perianth segments are about 3-5 mm long, clothed in pale hairs. Staminal filaments are fused towards the base, anthers about 1-2 mm long, free filaments about 1.5-2 mm long, staminodes alternating with the stamens. Staminodes are about 2.5-3 mm long, apices toothed or lobed. Ovary is about 1 mm long, enclosed in the staminal tube. Style is short, about 0.5 mm long.
Fruit and seed
Infructescence is very much like the inflorescence, i.e. consisting of tightly packed bracts interspersed with pale hairs. Individual fruits are slightly more than 1 mm long, enclosed in the persistent perianth segments and bracts. Seeds are discoid, about 1 mm diam., testa brown.
Traditional uses and benefits of Calico Plant
Alternanthera bettzickiana is used to treat anemia in children.
It is also used to treat arthritis, gastrointestinal distress, and emmenagogue, menstrual cramps, promote lactation, to improve blood circulation, and prevent dementia.
It is also ground and used to treat snake bites.
The cooked vegetable is given to anemic children in order to improve their health.
Culinary Uses
The leaves and young shoots are edible, eaten in salads or as a vegetable.
Leaves and young shoots can be consumed raw or cooked.
Mild flavored, they can be eaten in salads or boiled and used as a vegetable.
Other facts
bettzickiana is used for erosion control and soil improvement due to its extensive root system.
It is used in tea plantations, croplands, and orchards to hold soil.
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