Many many thanks dear Vijayasankar ji, for the clarifications, and help with appropriate name for this plant. Also thanks for the useful prefix "seemai சீமை" meaning foreign or exotic. I will update my notes shortly. Regards. Dinesh
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Vijay Raman <[email protected]> Date: Fri, Oct 31, 2025 at 2:31 AM Subject: Re: Names of Plants in India :: Alternanthera ficoidea (L.) P.Beauv. To: Dinesh Valke <[email protected]> You're welcome, Dinesh ji. I notice that both spellings are used in the Tamil Lexicon (see below). Maybe one is derived from the other, but *பொன்னாங்கண்ணி* appears to be the one currently in use for *A. sessilis*. The spelling variation could be due to regional accents. பொன்னாங்கண்ணி poṉ-ṉ-āṅ-kaṇṇi , *n*. < id. + கண்ணி. See பொன்னாங்காணி. *Loc*. பொன்னாங்காணி poṉ-ṉ-āṅ-kāṇi , *n*. < பொன்னாங்கண்ணி. A plant growing in damp places, *Alternanthera sessilis*; பூடுவகை. Tamil Lexicon also has a name for plants similar to A. sessilis: பொன்னாங்காணிச்சக்களத்தி poṉṉāṅ-kāṇi-c-cakkaḷatti , *n*. < பொன்னாங்காணி +. A plant resembling *poṉṉāṅkāṇi*; பொன்னாங்காணி போன்ற பூடுவகை. But I don't recommend using the term cakkalatti, which means co-wife (or second wife), even though you might see it used for some plants. Instead, we can use seemai ponnankanni *சீமை பொன்னாங்கண்ணி*, meaning "foreign or exotic Alternanthera (sessilis)". This name can also be used for any other exotic species of Alternanthera. Best, Vijayasankar On Thu, Oct 30, 2025 at 1:03 PM Dinesh Valke <[email protected]> wrote: > Many thanks Vijayasankar ji for pointing out this ambiguity. > I did see this name being shared, but ignored as it was listed in a > research article. > I will revise the spelling to பொன்னாங்கண்ணி > > I had picked up பொன்னாங்காணி ponnankani from Tamil Lexicon > <https://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/tamil-lex/>. > > About adding a suitable prefix to பொன்னாங்கண்ணி which would give a hint > that it is a popular foreign species naturalized / used in India ... for > example in Hindi / Marathi, a typical prefix is vilayati = of foreign land > ... would it resolve ambiguity ? > > I leave it to your thoughts. > > Regards. > Dinesh > > On Thu, Oct 30, 2025 at 8:25 AM Vijay Raman <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Dear Dinesh ji, >> >> The correct Tamil spelling for Ponnanganni is *பொன்னாங்கண்ணி*. However, >> this name is mainly used for *Alternanthera sessilis,* not sure if it >> can be used for *A. ficoidea* as well. >> >> Best regards, >> Vijayasankar >> >> On Tue, Oct 28, 2025 at 10:06 AM Dinesh Valke <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> *Alternanthera ficoidea* (L.) P.Beauv. >>> [image: Alternanthera ficoidea (L.) P.Beauv.] >>> <https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/73184189> >>> >>> *al-ter-NANTH-ur-uh* -- alternating anther ... Dave's Botanary >>> <http://davesgarden.com/guides/botanary/search.php?search_text=Alternanthera> >>> *fy-KOY-dee-uh* -- fig-like ... Dave's Botanary >>> <http://davesgarden.com/guides/botanary/search.php?search_text=ficoidea> >>> >>> *commonly known as*: fig joyweed, sanguinaria • *Bengali*: নানথি শাক >>> nanthi shak, পলতে কেশুত palte keshut, সলতে কেশুত salte keshut • >>> *Gujarati*: વેલરો ગોરખ velro gorakh • *Hindi*: रेशमकाथा reshamkatha • >>> *Kannada*: ಮತ್ಸ್ಯಾಕ್ಷಿ matsyakshi • *Malayalam*: പൊന്നാങ്കണ്ണി >>> ponnaankanni • *Marathi*: कुसळ kusal • *Sanskrit*: मत्स्याक्षी >>> matsyakshi • *Tamil*: பொன்னாங்காணி ponnankanni • *Telugu*: అడవి >>> పున్నాగంటె అలము adavi punnaganti aalamu • *Tulu*: ಮೀನಂಕಣ್ಣಿ meenamkanni >>> >>> >>> *botanical names*: *Alternanthera ficoidea* (L.) P.Beauv. ... *homotypic >>> synonyms*: *Achyranthes ficoidea* (L.) Lam. • *Gomphrena ficoidea* L. >>> ... *heterotypic synonyms*: *Alternanthera tenella* Colla ... and more >>> at POWO <https://powo.science.kew.org/>, retrieved 26 October 2025 >>> Bibliography / etymology >>> Links listed as references in the notes below, may not remain valid >>> permanently. Portals / websites have a tendency to re-organize / revise >>> their content, leading to change in URLs of pages in their site. Some sites >>> may even close down at their own will. The bits about the languages of >>> India <https://dineshvalke.blogspot.com/2023/12/languages-of-india.html> >>> mentioned below are merely some bare facts gathered from the internet; just >>> enough to satisfy curiosity about "where" could the listed names be best >>> prevalent in India. All English transliterated names to be taken *sensu >>> amplo*. >>> ~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~ >>> written and spoken widely, in most parts of India >>> *fig joyweed* >>> >>> - Flowers of India >>> <https://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Fig%20Joyweed.html>, >>> retrieved October 26, 2025 >>> >>> *sanguinaria* >>> >>> - Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk >>> <http://www.hear.org/Pier/species/alternanthera_ficoidea.htm> (PIER) >>> >>> ~~~~~ BENGALI ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Bengali* (বাংলা) ... spoken in: *West Bengal*, Assam, >>> Jharkhand, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar Islands >>> *নানথি শাক nanthi shak, পলতে কেশুত palte keshut, সলতে কেশুত salte keshut* >>> >>> - Many thanks to Shubhankar Patra for help with these names ... >>> facebook >>> >>> <https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2790019601178153&set=gm.10162549926546103&idorvanity=63742996102> >>> >>> ~~~~~ GUJARATI ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Gujarati* (ગુજરાતી) ... spoken in: *Gujarat*, *Dadra & >>> Nagar Haveli*, *Daman & Diu* >>> *વેલરો ગોરખ velro gorakh* >>> >>> - વનસ્પતીઓ ના ગુજરાતી તથા બોટનીકલ નામ ની યાદી >>> <https://groups.google.com/g/indiantreepix/c/cGJt67sMbng/m/dq0c7kFEAgAJ> >>> (વૈધ કે.જે.ઝાલા) >>> >>> ~~~~~ HINDI ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Devanagari* (हिन्दी) ... spoken in: *Delhi*, *Uttar >>> Pradesh*, *Bihar*, *Chhattisgarh*, *Haryana*, *Jharkhand*, *Madhya >>> Pradesh*, Rajasthan, *Uttarakhand* >>> *रेशमकाथा reshamkatha* >>> >>> - Kumar, Sanjeet. (2025). Wildlife Management in Latehar Forest >>> Division: Enhancing Elephant Habitat Through Enumeration of Fodder >>> Plants & >>> Mitigation Measures-A Report 2025. >>> <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394983047> >>> 10.13140/RG.2.2.19994.30407. >>> - Richa Gupta, Priyanka Pal, Seema and Chanchal Malhotra - Floristic >>> Vegetation Pattern Of Karnal City, Haryana, India >>> <https://bepls.com/special_issue(1)2022/108.pdf> - Bull. Env. >>> Pharmacol. Life Sci., Special Issue [1]2022 : 740-752 >>> >>> ~~~~~ KANNADA ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Kannada* (ಕನ್ನಡ) ... spoken in: *Karnataka* >>> *ಮತ್ಸ್ಯಾಕ್ಷಿ matsyakshi* >>> >>> - for *Alternanthera tenella* Colla ... Subrahmanya, Prasad K - >>> Exploration >>> and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and >>> surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka >>> >>> <http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/41951/10/10_chapter%204.pdf> >>> - Shodhganga ... ಮತ್ಸ್ಯಾಕ್ಷಿ matsyakshi = fish eye, the plant's leaf >>> alludes to the eye of fish >>> >>> ~~~~~ MALAYALAM ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Malayalam* (മലയാളം) ... spoken in: *Kerala*, Lakshadweep >>> *പൊന്നാങ്കണ്ണി ponnaankanni* >>> >>> - for *Alternanthera tenella* Colla ... Subrahmanya, Prasad K - >>> Exploration >>> and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and >>> surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka >>> >>> <http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/41951/10/10_chapter%204.pdf> >>> - Shodhganga ... പൊന്നാങ്കണ്ണി ponnaankanni = golden eye, indicates >>> it is as precious as gold for the eyes >>> >>> ~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Devanagari* (मराठी) ... spoken in: *Maharashtra*, >>> Karnataka >>> *कुसळ kusal* >>> >>> - for *Alternanthera tenella* Colla ... *Further Flowers of Sahyadri* >>> by Shrikant Ingalhalikar, the second among the three field guides to >>> identify plants of northern Western Ghats of India, based on flowers >>> >>> ~~~~~ SANSKRIT ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Devanagari* (संस्कृतम्) ... used all over India by priests >>> and scholars >>> *मत्स्याक्षी matsyakshi* >>> >>> - for *Alternanthera tenella* Colla ... Subrahmanya, Prasad K - >>> Exploration >>> and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and >>> surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka >>> >>> <http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/41951/10/10_chapter%204.pdf> >>> - Shodhganga ... मत्स्याक्षी matsyakshi = fish eye, the plant's leaf >>> alludes to the eye of fish >>> >>> ~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Tamil* (தமிழ்) ... spoken in: *Tamil Nadu*, Puducherry, >>> Andaman & Nicobar Islands >>> *பொன்னாங்காணி ponnankanni* >>> >>> - A, K., & V, M. K. (2019). Survey Of Wild Edible Plants Of >>> Dhanakarkulam Panchayath, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India. >>> <https://krjournal.com/index.php/krj/article/view/387> Kongunadu >>> Research Journal, 6(2), 20-27. >>> >>> ~~~~~ TELUGU ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Telugu* ( తెలుగు) ... spoken in: *Andhra Pradesh*, >>> *Telangana*, Puducherry >>> *అడవి పున్నాగంటె అలము adavi punnaganti aalamu* >>> >>> - for *Alternanthera tenella* Colla ... Harriet V. Kuhnlein, Bill >>> Erasmus, Dina Spigelski - Indigenous Peoples’ food systems: the many >>> dimensions of culture, diversity and environment for nutrition and >>> health - >>> Chapter 9, pages: 185-208 - Traditional food system of Dalit in >>> Zaheerabad Region, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh, India >>> <https://www.fao.org/4/i0370e/i0370e10.pdf> by Buduru Salomeyesudas >>> and Periyapatna V. Satheesh © FAO 2009 >>> >>> ~~~~~ TULU ~~~~~ >>> written in: *Tigalari (Tulu)* was used for writing Vedic texts in >>> Sanskrit, *Kannada* (ತುಳು), Malayalam (തുളു) ... spoken in: *Karnataka*, >>> north Kerala >>> *ಮೀನಂಕಣ್ಣಿ meenamkanni* >>> >>> - for *Alternanthera tenella* Colla ... Subrahmanya, Prasad K - >>> Exploration >>> and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and >>> surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka >>> >>> <http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/41951/10/10_chapter%204.pdf> >>> - Shodhganga >>> >>> ~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~ >>> naturalized: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, >>> Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal >>> >>> - Hassler, Michael (1994 - 2025): World Plants. Synonymic Checklist >>> and Distribution of the World Flora. >>> >>> <https://www.worldplants.de/world-plants-complete-list/complete-plant-list> >>> Version 25.10; last update Oct. 12th, 2025. Last accessed 13/10/2025 >>> (dd/mm/yyyy). >>> - Andhra Pradesh :: Harriet V. Kuhnlein, Bill Erasmus, Dina >>> Spigelski - Indigenous Peoples’ food systems: the many dimensions of >>> culture, diversity and environment for nutrition and health - Chapter 9, >>> pages: 185-208 - Traditional food system of Dalit in Zaheerabad >>> Region, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh, India >>> <https://www.fao.org/4/i0370e/i0370e10.pdf> by Buduru Salomeyesudas >>> and Periyapatna V. Satheesh © FAO 2009 >>> - Gujarat :: Checklist of Gujarat Flora >>> <https://archive.org/details/checklist-of-gujarat-flora> >>> - Haryana :: Richa Gupta, Priyanka Pal, Seema and Chanchal Malhotra >>> - Floristic Vegetation Pattern Of Karnal City, Haryana, India >>> <https://bepls.com/special_issue(1)2022/108.pdf> - Bull. Env. >>> Pharmacol. Life Sci., Special Issue [1]2022 : 740-752 >>> - Jharkhand :: Kumar, Sanjeet. (2025). Wildlife Management in >>> Latehar Forest Division: Enhancing Elephant Habitat Through Enumeration >>> of >>> Fodder Plants & Mitigation Measures-A Report 2025. >>> <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394983047> >>> 10.13140/RG.2.2.19994.30407. >>> >>> ~~~~~ Created on: 18:32 26-10-2025 ¦ Last updated: 12:50 28-10-2025 >>> (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~ >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Names compiled / updated at >>> https://dineshvalke.blogspot.com/2025/10/alternanthera-ficoidea-l-pbeauv.html >>> >>> Regards. >>> Dinesh >>> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "eFloraofIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/indiantreepix/CABSQqC1P3uqaP849pwPrm9Z66d8JURU-8OWEigZWHRYZpr0qng%40mail.gmail.com.
