Cleome gynandra - Wild Spider Flower

❏ Binomial Name : Cleome gynandra L.

❏ Synonym : Cleome pentaphylla, Gynandropsis gynandra, Gynandropsis pentaphylla 

❏ Family : Cleomaceae

❏ Common Name : Wild Spider Flower

❏ Tamil Name : Taivelai, Nalvelai

❏ Hindi Name : Jakhiya, Safed hulhul, Parhar, Safed bagro

❏ IUCN status: Not Evaluated

Cleome gynandra Botanical Description

Annual herbs, Leaves 5-7 foliate, subsessile, obovate-elliptic, apex acute. Inflorescence raceme corymbs, many flowered. Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, white to creamy yellow, pedicel filiform, slender, sepals 4, equal, ovate-obovate, valvate, petals 4, subequal, obovate-oblanceolate, clawed at the base, claw filiform, long as limb, androphore about 1-25 mm long. Stamens 6, anthers linear. Ovary superior, bicarpellary, style about 1 mm long. Fruit capsule, dehiscent, densely sticky glandular pubescent. Seeds 15-40, orbicular or reniform, compressed, brownish black. Fl. & Fr.: Throughout the year.

Cleome gynandra Medicinal uses

Leaves are cooked and eaten to improve digestion.