Boerhavia diffusa L.
Nyctaginaceae
Boerhavia repens L., BoerÂhavia coccinea Mill., Boerhavia paniculata Rich., Boerhavia adscendens Willd.
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, CenÂtral Province). |
Boerhavia diffusa is a pantropical species and distributed in, throughout Malesia, Australia and the Pacific.
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.
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.
1) Western Herb
2) South Central America Herbs
4) Ayuverda
References