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Headache Bryony Vine Mukia Maderaspatana Seeds
Packet of 10+ freshly harvested viable seeds
Really cool looking little native vine. Has fruit that look like a little watermelon, and was apparently used as a medicinal, not just here in Australia, but in Asia, Africa, Melanesia, the Philippines and India.
Not exactly rare, but definitely not a common plant, it is often mistaken for an introduced weed. The reasoning being something that looks so cool couldn’t possibly be a native…
Lots of information out there, but nothing really specific I could find apart from being used as a poultice by Australian Aboriginies of the central desert, and leaf and stem juice is boiled and given for constipation and gas troubles in India.
It is used in combination with other plants and herbs for treatment of chronic and persistent cough in Asia and Africa.
The leaves are mashed and applied to the head and neck for headache treatment in many places.
It is classed as “edible” by most sources, but not sure exactly how and the bit I nibbled wasn’t bad, but definitely wasn’t fantastic…
The root is described as having a mild saltiness and a pungency.
To me it looks like most other Cucumis(cucumber family) and all of them have edible leaves(in moderation) with varying levels of sapanoids(and other poisons).
Don’t eat it unless you know how, and if you do please let me know!
Here are some of the other names it is known as>>>
Cucumis maderaspatanus, Melothria maderaspatana, Melothria celebica var. villosior, Bryonia scabrella, Melothria argentea, Mukia scabrella, Headache Vine, Madras Sea Pumpkin, Bristly Bryony, Bryony vine, Ilkwerte ilkwerte, Papawitilpa, Kalpil kalpilpa, Kalpil kalpil, Papawitil, Pa, Ankeyankey, Lkwartelkwar, Musumuskkai, Rough bryony, Musumusukaya, Chitrati, Bilavi, Aganaki and Musimusikkay.
Grows easily from seeds, attractive small leaves and vine which never gets longer than a couple meters here, even in good conditions.
Pretty little red fruit with non-irritating hairs that fall off when touched.
I am lucky enough to have a few here in the bush.
I have also established a heap in big pots in the greenhouse as the wildlife love them, eating the vines down to ground level before they have a chance to set seed normally.
When I pull out a weedy corky passionfruit I plant one of these instead.
If you have any information to share about this plant be sure to let me know. (Happy to keep it unpublished if you prefer for whatever reason)
Anyway, there you have it, another underloved little native for the collection.
Naturally grows from the Gold Coast right up and around to WA, but with a little TLC and protection from the frost it should be no dramas grown as an annual further south in Spring Summer Autumn.
Grown by me and the Mrs organically, no chems, no nasties, no problems!!!
