Description

Mikania micrantha Kunth (mile-a-minute weed) is an extremely fast-growing, sprawling, perennial vine belonging to the family Asteraceae and native to tropical America. It is used to heal cuts and stop minor external bleeding in Fiji but its medicinal properties are still yet to be fully discovered. Its fresh leaves are pounded and then applied over lacerations to stop bleeding and subsequent healing. In Bangladesh used to treat gastric ulcer and as a local antiseptic.

Scientific classitication

Family: Asteraceae

Genus: Mikania

Common Name

mile-a-minute weed

Reference

Liu, B., Yan, J., Li, W. et al. Mikania micrantha genome provides insights into the molecular mechanism of rapid growth. Nat Commun 11, 340 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13926-4