Weed Herbarium

Boronukha

Common Name: Hastate-leaved pondweed
Scientific Name: Monochoria hastata (L.) Solms-Laub.
Family Name: Pontederiaceae
Type: Broad leaf

Identification Notes

EPPO Code

MOOHA

Life Cycle

Perennial

Morphology

Stem: having creeping, spongy rootstock; Leaves: long petioled, hastate, acute, entire, many nerved; Inflorescence: racemose, flower actinomorphic, bluish purple in color; Fruit: a capsule; Seeds: numerous; oblong, brown in color.

Growing season

Rabi and Kharif

Germination period

January - December

Flowering period

February - October

Propagation

By seed and rootstock

Habitat

M. hastata is a tropical aquatic herb reported from freshwater pools, mudflats in rivers, ditches, rice fields, canal banks, sluggish streams, silted-up meanders, swamps, open drains and very wet soils. It grows from sea level to 700 m altitude.

Weed potential

M. hastata is a weed of rice fields although there is limited information on its impact on rice crops. At high population densities, M. hastata is competitive and can reduce rice yields considerably (Boonkerd et al. 1993).

Control measure

Recommended herbicide

Distribution

Medicinal properties

References

[1] Boonkerd T, Na Songkhla B, Thephuttee W, 1993. Monochoria K.B. Presl. In: Plant Resources of South-East Asia. No. 8: Vegetables, [ed. by Siemonsma JS, Piluek K]. Bogor, Indonesia: PROSEA Foundation. www.prota4u.org/prosea

Department of Agronomy

Bangladesh Agricultural University