Record Number
1445
PROSEA Handbook Number
3: Dye and tannin-producing plants
Taxon
Persicaria tinctoria (Aiton) Spach
Family
POLYGONACEAE
Synonyms
Polygonum tinctorium Aiton.
Vernacular Names
Vietnam: nghê' nhuôm, nghê' cham.
Distribution
P. tinctorium is native to China and northern Vietnam. It is cultivated in Vietnam, China and Japan, formerly also in the Soviet Union.
Uses
From the leaves a dark blue dye ('Chinese indigo') can be prepared, used for dyeing cotton cloth.
Observations
A little branched erect herb with terminal panicles, up to 15 cm long. The leaves contain indican just like 'true' indigo (Indigofera spp.), and this substance can be hydrolized and oxidized to indigo-blue. Plants can be harvested within a year after sowing.
Selected Sources
[12] Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd ed. 2 Volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2444 pp.
[14] Crevost, Ch. & Pételot, A., 1941. Catalogue des produits de l'Indochine. Vol. 6. Tannins et tinctoriaux. Gouvernement général de l'Indochine. 124 pp.
[21] Hegnauer, R., 1962–1986. Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen. 7 Volumes. Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel, Boston, Stuttgart.
[30] Lecomte, M.H. & Gagnepain, F. (Editors), 1907–1950. Flore générale de l'Indo-Chine. 7 Volumes and supplements. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
[31] Mansfeld, R. & Schultze-Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.
[40] Oei, L. (Editor), 1985. Indigo, leven in een kleur [Indigo, life in a colour] . Stichting Indigo, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 223 pp.
[44] Schetky, E. (Editor), 1964. Dye plants and dyeing. Plants & Gardens 20(3): 1–100.
[50] Walker, E.H., 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 1159 pp.
[14] Crevost, Ch. & Pételot, A., 1941. Catalogue des produits de l'Indochine. Vol. 6. Tannins et tinctoriaux. Gouvernement général de l'Indochine. 124 pp.
[21] Hegnauer, R., 1962–1986. Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen. 7 Volumes. Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel, Boston, Stuttgart.
[30] Lecomte, M.H. & Gagnepain, F. (Editors), 1907–1950. Flore générale de l'Indo-Chine. 7 Volumes and supplements. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
[31] Mansfeld, R. & Schultze-Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.
[40] Oei, L. (Editor), 1985. Indigo, leven in een kleur [Indigo, life in a colour] . Stichting Indigo, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 223 pp.
[44] Schetky, E. (Editor), 1964. Dye plants and dyeing. Plants & Gardens 20(3): 1–100.
[50] Walker, E.H., 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 1159 pp.
Author(s)
J. Jukema, N. Wulijarni-Soetjipto, R.H.M.J. Lemmens & J.W. Hildebrand
Correct Citation of this Article
Jukema, J., Wulijarni-Soetjipto, N., Lemmens, R.H.M.J. & Hildebrand, J.W., 1991. Persicaria tinctoria (Aiton) Spach. In: Lemmens, R.H.M.J. and Wulijarni-Soetjipto, N. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 3: Dye and tannin-producing plants. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea
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