Achyranthes aspera L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Amaranthaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Achyranthes aspera L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Erect annual herb or subshrub to 1 m tall; stems obtusely 4- angled, glabrous to densely pubescent. Leaf blades 3-15 x 1.5- 6 cm, obovate, elliptic, or lanceolate, chartaceous, sparsely to densely covered with whitish hairs, especially along veins on lower surface, the apex acuminate or apiculate, the base tapering, sometimes oblique, the margins undulate; petioles 0.5-1.5 cm long. Flowers early reflexed, produced on long spikes with densely pilose axis. Bracts membranous, hyaline, ovate, long acuminate, with ciliate margins; bracteoles translucent, straw-colored, ciliate at margins, with main vein projecting as a spine. Tepals lanceolate, straw-colored or yellowish, stiff, glabrous and shiny, the outer ones longer (5-8 mm ) than the innermost ones; stamens 2-4 mm long; pseudostaminodes rectangular; style 1-2 mm long, the stigma minute. Fruit 1-2 mm long, cylindrical, with truncate apex, enclosed by a hardened perianth that sticks to clothing, hair, and fur.

  • Discussion

    Achyranthes aspera var. indica L., Sp. PL 204. 1753. Achyranthes indica (L.) Mill., Gard. Diet., ed. 8. 1768. Centrostachys indica (L.) Standi., J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 5: 75. 1915

  • Distribution

    Common in open or disturbed areas, especially along the coast. Cruz Bay (A3086). Also on Tortola and Virgin Gorda; probably native to tropical Asia, but now cosmopolitan.

    Asia| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America|