Cleome viscosa - Yellow spider flower

❏ Binomial Name : Cleome viscosa L.

❏ Synonym : Polanisia viscosa

❏ Family : Cleomaceae

❏ Common Name : Yellow spider flower

❏ Tamil Name : Naikkaduku

❏ Hindi Name : Bagra

❏ IUCN status : Not Evaluated

Cleome viscosa Botanical Description:

Erect annuals, whole plant viscous with stalked glandular hairs. Leaflets 3-5, elliptic-obovate, base cuneate, margins ciliate, apex obtuse, membranous, glandular pubescent; petiole up to 5 cm long. Racemes terminal, few-flowered. Flowers 1-1.5 cm across; Sepals 4, lanceolate, apex acute, glandular hairy without. Petals 4, yellow, obovate to oblong-spathulate, apex rounded. Stamens 12-18; anthers linear. Ovary sessile, oblong-cylindric, glandular-hairy; stigma cpitate. Fruit Capsules, linear-oblong, terete, striate, densely glandular hairy. Seeds many, reniform, transversely ridged, reddish-brown. Fl. & Fr.: March-July.

Cleome viscosa Medicinal uses:

❀ The leaves are used as an external application to treat wounds and ulcers

❀ The seedpods are made into pickles

❀ The plant decoction is used to treat rheumatism, gonorrhoea, diarrhoea and dysentery

❀ A paste of the root is applied externally in the treatment of earaches