Cleome viscosa

Cleome viscosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Brassicales
Family:	Cleomaceae
Genus:	Cleome
Species:	C. viscosa
Binomial name
Cleome viscosa L.
Synonyms[1]
Arivela viscosa (L.) Raf. Cleome acutifolia Elmer Cleome icosandra L. Polanisia icosandra (L.) Wight & Arn. Polanisia microphylla Eichler Polanisia viscosa (L.) Blume Sinapistrum viscosum (L.) Moench

Cleome viscosa, the Asian spiderflower,^[2] (Malayalam: കാട്ടുകടുക്) is an annual herb, up to a meter high. It belongs to family Capparidaceae. It is commonly found in rainy season.

The crushed leaves have been investigated as a treatment on stored seeds of cowpea, to prevent weevil infestation.^[3]

The leaves are use as external application to wounds and ulcers. The seed are anrhelmintic and carminative Juice of leaves is used as remedy against discharge of pus from the ear.

Information

Plants (10–)30–100(–160) cm. Stems viscid. Leaves: petiole 1.5–4.5(–8) cm, glandular-hirsute; leaflet blade ovate to oblanceolate-elliptic, (0.6–)2–6 × 0.5–3.5 cm, margins entire and glandular-ciliate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces glandular-hirsute. Racemes 5–10 cm (10–15 cm in fruit); bracts (often deciduous), trifoliate, 10–25 mm, glandular-hirsute. Pedicels 6–30 mm, glandular-hirsute. Flowers: sepals green, lanceolate, 5–10 × 0.8–1.2 mm, glandular-hirsute; petals arranged in adaxial semicircle before anthesis, radially arranged at anthesis, bright yellow, sometimes purple basally, oblong to ovate, 7–14 × 3–4 mm; stamens dimorphic, 4–10 adaxial ones much shorter with swelling proximal to anthers, green, 5–9 mm; anthers 1.4–3 mm; ovary 6–10 mm, densely glandular; style 1–1.2 mm. Capsules dehiscing only partway from apex to base, 30–100 × 2–4 mm, glandular-hirsute. Seeds light brown, 1.2–1.8 × 1–1.2 mm, finely ridged transversely. 2n = 20.

= Phenology

jun-aug (summer)

References

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