Xanthium strumarium - Common Cocklebur

❏ Binomial Name : Xanthium strumarium L., Roxb.

❏ Synonym : Xanthium strumarium,Xanthium canadense

❏ Family : Compositae

❏ Common Name : Common Cocklebur, broad bur, burdock datura, clotbur, rough cockleburr 

❏ Tamil Name : Ottarachedi,marul-umattai

❏ Hindi Name : Chota dhatura

❏ IUCN status: Not Evaluated

Xanthium strumarium Botanical Description

Erect herbs, stem terete, scabrid. Leaves 8-15 x 9-10 cm, broadly ovate, shallowly lobed, base cordate, 3-ribbed, scabrous; petiole 8-10 cm long. Heads axillary; bisexual heads in upper axils and sterile female heads in lower axils; bracts few, free in bisexual heads, united into a two horned utricle in female heads, covered with hooks; corolla absent in female flowers, tubular in bisexual flowers; anthers free, filaments connate; bases obtuse. Achenes 1.5 x 0.7 cm, paired on each head, enclosed in a 2-beaked utricle; pappus absent. Fl. &Fr.: March-December.

Xanthium strumarium Medicinal uses

The whole plant, specially root and fruit, is used as medicine. According to Ayurveda, X. strumarium is cooling, laxative, fattening, anthelmintic, alexiteric, tonic, digestive, antipyretic, and improves appetite, voice, complexion, and memory. It cures leucoderma, biliousness, poisonous bites of insects, epilepsy, salivation and fever.

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