Of this species, two different chemotypes (i. e., plants with different
constituents, but otherwise identical features) are known: The
Chinese/Vietnamese
chemotype resembles coriander in its aroma, and the
Japanese chemotype is characterized by a strange lemon or orange odour
that is often compared to ginger; see also
lemon myrtle on lemony spices. Some have
compared the fragrance of chameleon herb with raw meat or fish,
but I cannot agree.
The taste is aromatic, very close to Vietnamese
coriander, but with an astringent aftertaste.
Houttuynia cordata: Chameleon plant (wild form)
The original chameleon plant (wild form or non-ornamental cultivar)
Houttuynia cordata: Sterile plant
Sterile chameleon plant with intensive leaf colouration (the
plant was grown in full sun)
Main constituents
The plant (Japanese chemotype) contains a variety of flavonoids, flavonoid
glycosides (afzerin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin) and pyridine alkaloids;
the essential oil was found to consist mainly of decanal (caprylic aldehyde),
dodecanal (lauryl aldehyde) and 2‐hendecanon (methyl nonyl ketone).
(Planta Medica 61, 237, 1995)
Another work reports the essential oil’s main components being
dodecanoic acid, 2‐hendecanon and methyl decanoate.
Houttuynia cordata: Sterile plant
Sterile chameleon plant with intensive leaf colouration (the
plant was grown in full sun)
The volatile oil of the Chinese/Vietnamese chemotype was found
to contain myrcene, 2‐hendecanon, limonene and decanoyl acetaldehyde
(3‐ketododecanal).
The latter compound seems mainly responsible for the characteristic
flavour; it is a potent antibacterial agent. The plant is, thus, used
in traditional Chinese medicine.
Origin
East Asia. Today, the plant grows wild in a vast area from Nepal via Thailand
to Korea.
Houttuynia cordata: Wild form of chameleon leaf
Unvariegated wild form of chameleon herb
The chameleon plant is often grown as an ornamental in Europe and the USA;
most popular are variegated cultivars with attractive three-coloured foliage.
Etymology
The scientific plant name is in honour of Maarten Houttuyn
(1720 – 1798), a Dutch biologist.
Houttuynia cordata: Wild form of chameleon leaf
Unvariegated wild form of chameleon herb
Houttuynia cordata: South Asian chameleon herb (lizard tail)
Chameleon herb strain native to South Asia
The name lizard tail (properly referring to a closely related genus, Saururia) is motivated by the acute shape of the leaves in both
Saururia and Houttuynia.
The name Chameleon plant (or chameleon herb) should be used only
for the beautifully coloured variety which is most common as an ornamental in
the West, and whose triple-hued leaves (yellow, red, green) remember to the
proverbial colour-shifting chameleon.
Houttuynia cordata: South Asian chameleon herb (lizard tail)
Chameleon herb strain native to South Asia
The English names fishwort and heartleaf refer, with some
exaggeration, to the plant’s
strong odour and to the heart-shaped leaves, respectively. See also
mugwort for the element -wort. A rather
parallel name is Chinese yuxing cao [魚腥草] fish-stinking herb
.
The Vietnamese name of the plant is diep ca [diếp cá],
which is probably to be understood as lettuce (smelling like) fish
; an alternative spelling is
giap ca [giấp cá]. Other names
reported, especially vap ca which is pretty common in English
herbal literature, appear to be founded in writing errors in early Western
reports. In Vietnam, that name is not known.
Selected Links
Sorting Houttuynia names (www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au)
Houttuynia cordata: Chameleon plant (variegated form)
The beautiful variegated cultivar of Chameleon plant
Houttuynia cordata: Chameleon herb with unripe fruits
Fruiting chameleon plant
The leaves of the chameleon plant are sometimes found in
Vietnamese salads and garnishes. In Vietnam, many other fresh herbs serve the
same purpose (see
Vietnamese coriander). Their
fresh, aromatic flavour goes even well with European salads.
The North-Eastern Indian union state Manipur boasts of a highly original cuisine, which uses
not only leaves but also the fresh rhizome of chameleon plant; it employs a host of further herbs
(among others, a Mediterranan-like type of basil, cress,
dill, coriander,
long coriander, Vietnamese coriander). The preference for aromatic leaves and
an excessive use of fermented fish flavours puts Manipuri food far apart from Indian mainstream cooking, making it more
comparable to the cooking styles of neighbouring South East Asia.
In Manipuri cuisine, chameleon leaves are often employed in salads like
singju [সিংজু, ꯁꯤꯡꯖꯨ],
a mixture of raw leaves, lotus root slices and aromatic herbs; it is flavoured with nutty-tasting powder of sesame seeds, toasted legumes and
pungent fermented fish; if available, slices of superhot local chiles
(umorok [উমোরোক, ꯎꯃꯣꯔꯣꯛ])
might be sprinkled over it. Often, they are used in conjunction with fish, both fresh and fermented.
Houttuynia cordata: Wild plants with flowers, growing in Helambu area, Nepal
Wild form of chameleon plant growing in Nepal
Houttuynia cordata: Chameleon herb with unripe fruits
Fruiting chameleon plant
The chopped rhizome may also be used, particularly to cut the intensive fermented fish flavour of the local signature food
iromba [ইরোম্বা, ꯏꯔꯣꯝꯕꯥ],
a type of liquid to dry vegetable curry with loads of fermented fish (ngari [ঙারি, ꯉꯥꯔꯤ].
The ground root is an ingredient for fish curries. Leaves can also be dipped in a batter prepared from
chickpea flour to prepare a fresh-tasting pakora [पकोड़ा],
locally known as bora [বোরা, ꯕꯣꯔꯥ]; the same is also done with other robust herbs like long coriander.
Houttuynia cordata: Wild plants with flowers, growing in Helambu area, Nepal
Wild form of chameleon plant growing in Nepal
A Chinese dish employing chameleon root is zhe’er gen chao larou [折耳根炒腊肉]: Salt-cured bacon which is fried with the rizome of chameleon plant. The recipe originates from the hilly Guizhou [贵州] province in South Western China.
In Nepal, where chameleon plant grows widely in the mountains at an elevation up to 1500 m, it is little used, though some people appear to flavour pickles with fresh leaves or rhizomes.
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