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Boerhavia diffusa L.

Boerhavia diffusa L.

Family

Nyctaginaceae

Synonyms

Boerhavia repens L., Boerhavia coccinea Mill., Boerhavia paniculata Rich., Boerhavia adscendens Willd.

Vernacular Names

English	Spreading hogweed.
Thailand	Phak bia hin (Northern), nang kuu sae (Karen, Northern), phak khom hin (Central).
Philippines	Paanbalibis (Tagalog), katkatud, tabtabokol (Iloko).
Myanmar	Khomhin pak.
Vietnam	S[aa]m r[uwf]ng, s[aa]m d[aas]t, s[aa]mnam.
Papua New Guinea	Mamauri (Yule Island, Central Province).

Geographical Distributions

Boerhavia diffusa is a pantropical species and distributed in, throughout Malesia, Australia and the Pacific.

Description

Boerhavia diffusa is an annual or perennial, erect, ascending, creeping or climbing herb, which can grow up to 0.4-1(-2) m tall. It is a hairy to nearly hairless herb, with club-shaped or stalked glands and glandular hairs while its root is spindle-shaped and often woody.

The leaves are ovate-Iance-shaped, measure 0.5-4 cm x 0.3-4 cm, obtuse at base, cordate or truncate, acute to obtuse at apex, and often white beneath but sometimes with red marginal glands.

The petiole is 1-0.5 cm long. The flowers are arranged 1-12 together in cymose panicles, measuring 0.5-7 cm x 1-6 cm while the peduncle is 2-5 cm long and 1-3 times branched. The pedicel is 0.3-2 mm long, with 1-3 bracteoles, and bell-shaped perianth, which is 1.5-2.3 mm long, with a distinct constriction in the middle, either white, red, pink or violet. There are 1-3 stamens. The anthocarp is club-shaped, 2.5-3.3 mm long, 5-ribbed, with scattered minute, club-shaped, stalked or sessile glands.

Ecology / Cultivation

Boerhavia diffusa occurs in dry open localities, pastures, along railroads, roads, and in secondary forests, on rocks and sand, from sea level up to 1000(-2000) m altitude.