You may want to think twice the next time you help yourself to some mukunuwenna mallum, for you might just be serving yourself a toxic alligator weed mallum instead. As menacing as it sounds, alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) at first glance can be easily mistaken for mukunuwenna, a local favourite.
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| The weed grows vigorously in moist conditions. |
Originating in Australia the ‘invasive and noxious’ weed was first discovered in Sri Lanka in 1999 in the Hambantota district. How the Aussie weed found its way to Sri Lanka is somewhat of a mystery, although it’s possible someone from Australia brought the weed to Sri Lanka having mistaken it for mukunuwenna, officials at the Department of Agriculture suggest.
The weed, well known for its vigorous growth, spread from the Southern Province to the Western Province where it was unsuspectingly harvested and sold as mukunuwenna. The department acted quickly to ensure the problem was nipped in the bud and the weed problem was eradicated.
But a decade later the weed has resurfaced. Two weeks ago it was brought to the attention of the department, that alligator weed was being sold as mukunuwenna in Kurunegala.
This time too the department is taking the same measures as before, conducting training programmes to educate farmers about alligator weed and creating awareness among the public by passing out leaflets and alerting them through the media.
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| A woman selling mukunuwenne leaves |
While not poisonous in itself, the weed absorbs heavy metals, such as copper, that are deposited at the reservoirs. Thus consumption can lead to chronic illnesses that gradually show in symptoms over a length of time, said Director General of the Department of Agriculture, Jinadarie de Soysa.
“At this point it’s difficult to say if the weed has caused any illnesses or deaths among people, although we have discovered some livestock with skin infections which may have been the result of heavy metal poisoning,” she adds.
Coming from the same family as mukunuwenna, alligator weed requires the same environmental conditions for rapid growth as mukunuwenna. Found growing in mukunuwenna cultivations, in warm moist conditions, the weed flourishes around reservoirs and this is where the problem arises.
How to tell the difference
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| Alligator plant |
nWhen buying mukunuwenna, beware of leaves that look shiny. This is a distinctive feature of the alligator weed.
nBe sure to check the white flower heads, which are found on both plants. If the stalk is long it’s most likely to be an alligator weed as mukunuwenna flower heads sprout from very short stalks.
nBefore preparing the mukunuwenna, cut a cross section of the stalk. If the stalk is hollow you can be sure it’s alligator weed and not mukunuwenna. |
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