MOSES-IN-THE -CRADLE

This lovely plant with leaves that are purple and green is known as Moses-in-Cradle in English. I wonder why it is so called. In Chinese it is called Pong Fa (Chinese): 蚌花 or Hum Fah (Cockle Flowers). Now I can relate to that as the flowers do look like cockles.

This plant answers to a few scientific names, Rhoeo discolor, Rhoeo spathacea, Tradescantia spathacea, Tradescantia discolor, Tradescantia spathaceae, Rhoeo spathaceae, Rhoeo discolor.

The common names this plant is just as many. See for yourself:

English common names:
Oyster plant, Boat lily, Moses in the boat, Moses in a cradle, Beat Lily.

Chinese name:s
蚌花, Bang hua, 蚌蘭, Bang lan, 紫萬年青, Zi wan nian qing, 紫背萬年青, Zi bei wan nian qing

Malay names:

Nanas kerang, Daun kepah, Pandan ungu

When I was a teenager and had an outbreak of acne, my mother would go buy the flowers of the oyster plant from the market and boil it with brown sugar for me to drink.  The acne will disappear after I have drunk it for a few days.

For your information, both the flowers and leaves can be used as herbal medicine.

Here are other uses for this plant:

• Boiled in water, it is believed to have cooling properties.
• For treatment of colds, sore throat and whooping cough.
• For treating blood in stools;
• Skin inflammation.
• Nasal bleeding
• A poultice made from the crushed or ground leaves may be applied externally to reduce inflammations or swellings.