Olax zeylanica is a plant species in the family Olacaceae and the type species of the genus Olax. It is found in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, where it is widely used as a leafy vegetable in rural areas. It is known by local people as "මැල්ල - mella" in Sri Lanka.
| Olax zeylanica | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Santalales |
| Family: | Olacaceae |
| Genus: | Olax |
| Species: | O. zeylanica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Olax zeylanica Wall.
| |
Ecology
editIntermediate forest subcanopy.
Uses
editLeaves- vegetable, medicinal.
It is widely used as leafy vegetable and also as remedy for snake bites in Sri Lankan Ayurvedic medicine.
References
edit- http://journals.sjp.ac.lk/index.php/vjs/article/view/279
- http://www.nsf.ac.lk/newsletter/VOL3NO10/ethno.pdf
- http://environmentlanka.com/blog/2010/olax-zeylanica-an-environmentally-safe-bio-pesticide-for-the-control-of-the-maize-weevil-sitophilus-zeamais-mots-curculionidae/
- http://www.datamillion.com/mplants/Plants%20used%20for%20treatments%20of%20snake%20bites%20in%20Sri%20Lankan%20Ayurveda%20System.pdf
- http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-2399101