binomial name : Drymaria cordata
common name : Tropical chickweed
It is a spreading annual herb - it is around at present whereas normal chickweed is barely evident. It looks just like Stellaria media (chickweed) but has almost round opposite leaves and much longer flower stalks:
The internet is fairly sparse on details of this weed - lots of suggestions of traditional herbal use and use as a potherb but no real substantial reports
that I could locate.
Pubmed had only a few entries :
One indicated a useful anti-cough effect of an extract of the plant. Codiene linctus is about the only really effective cough suppressant medically available but about 10-15% of patients are unable to tolerate codiene (it gives them stomach pains and nausea/vomiting). If that is the case it would be a useful addition to what is currently available. Pity there seems to be no clinical trials on it.
Another abstract indicated an anxiety reducing effect and a further one indicated it had an anti-cancer effect.
Odds on this plant has lots of anti-oxidants such as beta-carotene
but actual nutritional analysis was not evident. Also odds on it
would have the usual herb benefits of lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and possibly anti-inflammatory effects as well. However this is speculation on my part as I was unable to locate any good scientific studies.
Here's a photo of a Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) butterfly from our recent Stanthorpe trip. These have been around our yard also at times.
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_nymphs/MeadowArgus.htm
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