Sphenoclea zeylanica

Sphenoclea zeylanica, called chickenspike, gooseweed, and wedgewort, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the genus Sphenoclea, native to Africa, Madagascar, tropical and subtropical Asia, and Australia.^[3] It is widely introduced in the New World tropics and subtopics from the southern United States to northern Argentina.^[2] Its young leaves are edible and are occasionally eaten, perhaps with a light boiling.^[3] A common weed of rice paddies, it can cause yield losses from 25 to 50%.^[4]

Sphenoclea zeylanica
In bloom
Botanical illustration
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Sphenocleaceae
Genus:	Sphenoclea
Species:	S. zeylanica
Binomial name
Sphenoclea zeylanica Gaertn.[1]
Synonyms[2]
List Reichelia palustris Blanco Schrebera pongati DC. Pongatium indicum Lam. Pongatium spongiosum Blanco Pongatium zeylanicum Kuntze Rapinia herbacea Lour. Sphenoclea pongatium A.DC.