Scientific name: Amaranthus viridis L.
Family: Amaranthaceae
Synonym: Amaranthus gracilis Desf., Amaranthus polystachyus Willd.
Bengali/Vernacular name: Notey, Notey shak, Marissag, Pora notey (Bengali); Mairra shak (Sandwip).
Tribal name: Ahu mihim ga, Asumahimong uga gach (Marma); Cronaa-raw (Rakhaing).
English name: Green amaranth, Wild amaranth, Green pigweed.
Description of the plant: An annual, erect, small slender herb, 70-80 cm high, sparsely branched; branches often reddish-green. Leaves ovate or elliptic, long-petioled, base truncate, tip obtuse. Flowers minute, pale green, in small axillary clusters and in slender tapering terminal and axillary paniculate spike-like racemes. Fruit an indehiscent, strongly corrugated, ellipsoidal utricle.
Plant parts used: Leaf and stem.
Medicinal uses: Powder is made from leaves and stems of the plant are mixed with the rice-washed water, sugar and salt then the mixture is taken once a day (3 tea spoons amount) for the treatment of diabetes.
Juice extracted from leaves and stems of the plant is taken twice a day (10 ml amount each time) for three times a day to treat febrile convulsion.
Decoction of plant is given for the treatment of dysentery.
Distribution: Throughout Bangladesh in fallow lands.
