Are these Indian market finds OK?

SPILL

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I came up empty when searching tortoise table on some fresh leaves that I just picked up from the Indian market and wanted to see if anyone here could help before I use them. Gongura leaves, methi, and mango leaves. I also got one that was marked pan leaf. It showed up on the receipt as pan/curry but is a broader leaf that looks nothing like the curry shown on TT. Thanks in advance.
 
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pguinpro

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Yeah that tortoise table is pretty limited. You might want you find out the region your tortoise is from and then get a book on native plants species. I've been doing a lot of research and might just start growing some plants from their region.
 

RosemaryDW

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The Tortoise Table is fairly specific to Britain; you usually have to poke around in here to see what others have found for plants from other regions.

Gongura and methi are fine. Gongura is a hibiscus/mallow relative. Methi is in the legume family so don’t overdo it but it’s a good food. My Russian gets it several times a year. I find gongura doesn’t keep well unless I include some paper towels in the bag it’s in, for what it’s worth.

I think your pan leaves are probably betel leaves. Do they look like this?

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I’ve never been able to definitively find much on this. Perhaps @Iochroma will know. I wouldn’t be surprised if star tortoises eat them in native habitat but it’s one of the few things I won’t feed my tortoise. It’s in a plant family I’m entirely unfamiliar with so I can’t even guess at it.

Gosh, I have never seen mango leaves for sale before. They seem to be used for medicinal uses in tea. No mention on the forum of side effects but also no tortoises who will eat them. ;)

We have a new, good sized Indian market in town and I’m looking forward to checking it out.
 

SPILL

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Aug 20, 2018
Messages
149
Location (City and/or State)
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After searching the pan leaves are betel. I haven't found how yet, but betel may be somehow related to tobacco and possibly have carcinogenic properties. It seems that both mango leaves and betel are rich in vitamins A, B, and C. Both are claimed to be high in calcium and the mango supposedly good fiber levels. Both contain tannins. Most of this information is in articles with terms such as "the author claims" which makes me unsure. I can't find anything that has actual nutritional values. I go from time to time for lemon grass but they were out so these were kind of inexpensive impulse buys.
 

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