Cyathula prostrata (L.) Blume

Amaranthaceae, C.C. Townsend. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1985

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb (? sometimes short-lived perennial).

Morphology Stem

Stems prostrate and rooting at the lower nodes to erect, 0.2–1.2 m., simple or usually branched up to about the middle, ± swollen at the nodes, lower branches divaricate, the upper more erect; stem and branches bluntly 4-angled to subterete, striate or sulcate, subglabrous to ± densely pilose (especially the lower internodes).

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly rhombic to rhombic-ovate, sometimes rhombic-elliptic to shortly oval or subcircular, 1.5–8 × 1–4.5 cm., occasionally with the margin outline distinctly excavate below and/or above the middle, shortly acuminate at the apex, acute to rather blunt (more rarely rounded), shortly cuneate to cuneate-attenuate at the base, subglabrous to moderately pilose with strigose hairs on both surfaces, subsessile or distinctly (up to 13 mm.) petiolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Spikes terminal on the stem and branches, at first dense, soon considerably elongating to as much as 35 cm. with maturing lower flowers increasingly distant, 5–7 mm. wide, peduncle up to ± 10 cm., axis and peduncle thinly to ± densely pilose; bracts and bracteoles lanceolate-ovate, ± 1.5–2 mm., mucronate with the shortly excurrent midrib, ciliate; flowers in sessile or shortly pedunculate cymose clusters (peduncles to ± 2 mm.) of 2–3 hermaphrodite flowers, the 2 laterals subtended by 2 modified flowers, or the uppermost hermaphrodite flowers of the spike solitary, similarly subtended by modified flowers, bibracteolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal

Tepals elliptic-oblong, 2.25–3 mm., 3-nerved, subglabrous to ± densely white-pilose; outer firmer with the lateral nerves more distinct and joining the shortly excurrent midrib just below the apex, usually more densely white-pilose than the inner; inner sometimes ± falcate, slightly shorter.

Morphology General Spines

Spines of modified flowers sharply uncinate, numerous, glabrous, reddish, ± 2 mm., fasciculate, in fruit scarcely exceeding the tepals of the fertile flower; 2–3-flowered clusters ± globose, finally deflexed, falling as a unit to form a burr ± 5 cm. in diameter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments very slender, ± 1.5 mm., the pseudostaminodes rectangular-cuneate with a truncate dentate or excavate apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary with a pileiform cap.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style slender, ± 0.6 mm., often slightly swollen towards the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ovoid, membranous save for the flat firm apex, ± 1.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed ovoid, smooth, ± 1.5 mm., shining, brown.

Amaranthaceae, C. C. Townsend. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb (? sometimes short-lived perennial), stems prostrate and rooting at the lower nodes to erect, 0.2–1.2 m., simple or usually branched up to about the middle, more or less swollen at the nodes, lower branches divaricate, the upper more erect; stem and branches bluntly 4-angled to subterete, striate or sulcate, subglabrous to more or less densely pilose (especially the lower internodes).

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1.5–8 × 1–5 cm., mostly rhomboid to rhomboid-ovate, sometimes rhomboid-elliptic to shortly oval or subcircular, occasionally with the margin outline distinctly excavate below and/or above the middle, shortly acuminate at the apex, acute to rather blunt (more rarely rounded), shortly cuneate to cuneate-attenuate at the base, subglabrous to moderately pilose with strigose hairs on both surfaces, subsessile or distinctly (up to 13 mm. long) petiolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Spikes terminal on the stem and branches, at first dense, soon considerably elongating to as much as 25 cm. but mostly c. 6–15 cm. with maturing lower flowers increasingly distant, 5–7 mm. wide, peduncle up to c. 10 cm. long, axis and peduncle thinly to more or less densely pilose;bracts and bracteoles membranous, lanceolate-ovate, c. 1.5–2 mm. long, mucronate with the shortly excurrent midrib, glabrous or ciliate; flowers in sessile or shortly pedunculate clusters (peduncles to c. 2 mm. long), cymose, of 2–3 hermaphrodite flowers, the two laterals subtended by two modified flowers, or the uppermost hermaphrodite flowers of the spike solitary, similarly subtended by modified flowers, bibracteolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal

Tepals 2.25–3 mm. long, elliptic-oblong, 3-nerved, subglabrous to more or less densely white-pilose; the outer firmer with the lateral nerves more distinct and joining the shortly excurrent midrib just below the apex, usually more densely white-pilose than the inner; the inner sometimes more or less falcate, slightly shorter.

Morphology General Spines

Spines of modified flowers sharply uncinate, numerous, glabrous, reddish, c. 2 mm., fasciculate, in fruit scarcely exceeding the tepals of the fertile flower; 2- or 3-flowered clusters, more or less globose finally deflexed, falling as a unit to form a “burr” c. 5 mm in diam.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Filaments very slender, c. 1.5 mm. long, the pseudostaminodes rectangular-cuneate with a truncate, dentate or excavate apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary with a pileiform cap.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style slender, c. 0.6 mm. long, often slightly swollen towards the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ovoid, membranous save for the flat, firm apex, c. 1.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed ovoid, c. 1.5 mm. long, shining, brown, smooth.

Amaranthaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

More or less erect, much-branched weed, 1–3 ft. high

Morphology Leaves

Leaves green, sometimes tinged with red

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers green, often galled

Ecology

In waste places and forest margins.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–1900 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Amazonas, Antioquia, Caldas, Caquetá, Casanare, Cauca, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Guainía, Huila, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Putumayo, Quindío, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.

Habit

Herb.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, native grassland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.

Vernacular

Abugua, Cadillo, Cucua kjun, Hoja cucua, Pega pega

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

abrojo, alacrán, bledo blanco, bledo de puerco, cadillo, cadillo de bejuco, cadillo de bolsa, cadillo sacalotodo, chichiborugo, chichoborugo, chorrillo, hierba de arco, hierba de golpe, marranera, pegahueso, pegapega, plumilla, puerquera, rabo de ratón

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