Patawali (Tinospora crispa)

Family: Menispermaceae | Edibility: Edible (1/5)

Tinospora crispa is a deciduous, dioecious, climbing shrub about 15 m long with stems of up to 1 cm thick and aerial roots. It can be found in East Asia. No plant part is edible but it is highly valued as a medicinal plant. It is used in the treatment of fevers, stomach problems, indigestion, diarrhea, flatulence in children, tropical ulcers, external parasites, itches, diabetes, high blood pressure, abdominal pain, cholera, jaundice, and wounds.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Leaves

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

None known. — Harvested fresh in season according to PFAF botanical monograph.

Habitat & North American Range

Waste ground, forest margins. Primary rain forest and mixed deciduous forest, it can also be very common in secondary vegetation after logging and in hedges, at elevations up to 1,000 metres. (Zone 10)