Common Name: Cupid's Shaving Brush

General Information

Emilia sonchifolia is an erect annual plant, often producing prostrate branches from the very base, it grows around 10 - 150cm tall.
A common weed in the tropics, where it has traditional medicinal uses and also provides an edible leaf. It is occasionally cultivated for these leaves, which are frequently sold in local markets, especially in Java[].
The plant occurs as a weed in many areas of the tropics and is considered to be invasive in various Pacific Islands, countries in S. America etc[]. It is not, however, generally considered to be very noxious or harmful[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Pantropical, probably originating in southern Asia.

Habitat

Waste ground in C. and S. Japan[]. Moist areas and uncultivated ground at elevations up to 1.700 metres in Nepal[]. A very common weed of field crops, occurring at elevations between sea level and 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.40 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 3,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, but can tolerate 10 - 40°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 2,000mm, but tolerates 500 - 4,000mm[].
An easily grown plant[], succeeding in most well-drained soils in a sunny position[]. Plants flower better when growing on nutritionally poor soils, producing much more lush growth at the expense of flowering on rich soils[]. Plants are drought tolerant once established[]. Prefers a pH in the range 4.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4 - 7[].
A deep-rooting plant[].
Slugs can be a problem with this plant in a wet season[].

Edible Uses

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked[, , , , , ]. A slightly bitter flavour[]. Used as a vegetable and as a side dish with rice[, ]. The whole plant, including the flowers, can be eaten raw or cooked[]. The leaves are usually harvested and used before the plant flowers[]. A nutritional analysis of the leaves is available[].

The powdered plant is used to prepare a cake fermented with yeast (called marcha in Nepal) from which liquor is distilled[].

Medicinal

A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of dysentery[]. The juice of the leaves is used in treating eye inflammations, night blindness, cuts and wounds and sore ears[, ].

The plant is astringent, depurative, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge and sudorific[, , ]. It is used in the treatment of infantile tympanites and bowel complaints[]. It is used, in combination with Justicia secunda, to lower blood sugar levels[].

The juice of the root is used in the treatment of diarrhoea[, ].

The flower heads are chewed and kept in the mouth for about 10 minutes to protect teeth from decay[].

The plant contains ursolic acid, kaempferol galactoside, quercitrine, rutoside, and senecionine pyrrolizidine alkaloids[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts[, ].
The seed can also be sown outdoors in situ in the middle of spring[, ].