Nyctaginaceae
Boerhavia

Boerhavia diffusa L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 3 (1753), nom. cons.
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropics & Subtropics. It is an annual or subshrub and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used as animal food, a poison and a medicine, has social uses and for food.

Descriptions

Nyctaginaceae, B. L. Stannard. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs, usually much branched from base.
Morphology Stem
Stems spreading, decumbent with ascending flowering stems to 1 m., diffusely branched, glabrous to puberulous, often with long septate hairs particularly around nodes.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1.5–6 × 0.8–5 cm., ovate, elliptic or subcircular, base subcordate, rounded, more or less truncate or broadly cuneate, apex acute to rounded, sometimes apiculate, usually more or less glabrous with long septate hairs mainly along veins below and margins; petioles to 4 cm., glabrous to puberulous, often with long septate hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences elongating greatly after start of flowering, ultimately lax, terminal, leafless, cymose panicles, occasionally a few scattered simple axillary cymes, branches glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles more or less 1 mm. long, ovate to lanceolate, acuminate, margins fimbriate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers usually 2–7 (11) per cluster, sessile or with pedicels to 1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth 1.6–2.5 mm. long, lower portion 5-ribbed, glandular-pubescent, upper portion 0.5–1.2 mm. long, campanulate, whitish, pink, carmine or purple.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 1–3, subequal, slightly exserted 1.5–2.5 mm. long,.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary more or less 0.5 mm. long, glabrous; style 1–1.5 mm. long, slightly exserted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarps 3–3.5 × 1–1.75 mm., clavate, apex rounded, glandular pubescent.
[FZ]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Naturalizada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 1000 m.; Llanura del Caribe, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
Preocupación Menor
[CPLC]

Nyctaginaceae, Christopher Whitehouse. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial, prostrate, ascending or erect herb up to 1 m., sometimes with a thick taproot.
Morphology Stem
Stems fleshy, becoming woody towards the base, green, sometimes tinged purple, branching mainly from the base, the nodes swollen, glabrescent to puberulous with long septate hairs especially around the nodes.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves broadly ovate to lanceolate, up to 6×5 cm., green, paler beneath, the base truncate to cuneate, the apex rounded to acute, with long septate hairs on the sinuate margins and veins beneath.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a large diffuse terminal panicle up to 35 cm., the individual cymes (1–)3–5(–7)-flowered; branches glabrous to glabrescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth 1.5–2.5 mm. long; upper portion pink to purple, 1–1.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers 1(–3), slightly exserted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary ± 0.5 mm.; style slightly exserted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarp obovoid, 3–4×1–1.5 mm., 5-ribbed, rounded at the apex, glandular-pubescent.
Figures
Fig. 1/1–4.
Habitat
Disturbed ground in cultivation, waste places and grassland and along paths and dry stream beds; 0–1800 m.
Distribution
K3 K4 K5 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T6 T7 T8 U1 U2 U3 pantropical weed
[FTEA]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
lagaña de perro, pegajosa, pegajosita, rodilla de pollo
[UNAL]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular
CHICKWEED
Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb with woody taproot, the main branches prostrate or decumbent, the flowering branches ascending; glabrate or minutely puberulous, often glutinous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves elliptic to roundish, petiolate, 2–6 cm long, the apex obtuse or roundish, the margins somewhat irregular and minutely ciliate, the lower surface pale or whitish
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers crimson, 2–6 in a cluster, the perianth limb ca. 1 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarp oblong-clavate with truncate apex, glandular-hairy, 4–6 mm long.
Distribution
Little Cayman, Cayman Brac. West Indies and continental tropical America.
Ecology
A weed of sandy clearings.
[Cayman]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Caribbean. Elevation range: 0–1000 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Chocó, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.
Habit
Herb.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Ascending annual or short-lived perennial with ± prostrate basal parts; nodes and leaf-margins with long multicellular hairs, at least when young
Morphology Leaves
Leaves broadly ovate to subcircular, 1.5–6 x 0.8–5 cm, subcordate to broadly cuneate at the base, acute to rounded at the apex, glabrous except for margins and veins beneath
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
All bracts very small, ultimate unit of inflorescence a pedunculate 2–7(–11)-flowered umbel; pedicel 0–1 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth-limb 0.5–1.2 mm long, purplish-red; stamens 1–3, slightly exserted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarp clavate, 3–3.5 mm long, sharply 5-sided with rounded tip, glandular-pubescent.
Distribution
S2 pantropical.
Ecology
Altitude range 30–50 m.
[FSOM]

Uses

Use Animal Food
Used as animal food.
Use Gene Sources
Used as gene sources.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
Use Social
Social uses.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0