Cleome gynandra L.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Cleomaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cleome gynandra L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Herb or subshrub ca. 0.5 m tall; young stems covered with minute glandular hairs, older parts becoming glabrous. Leaves membranous, with 5 or 7 leaflets; leaflets elliptic or oblanceolate, 2.5-5 cm long, the terminal longer, glabrous, except for few hairs on veins and margins, the margins finely serrate or entire; petioles almost as long as the blades, more or less covered with white, glandular hairs. Rowers in terminal racemes, showing a transformation of leaves to trifoliolate bracts; calyx green, covered with white glandular hairs externally, the sepals lanceolate, 5 mm long; petals white, 1.5-2 cm long, the base 1-1.5 cm long, often pink or purple; stamens 6, the filaments turning from purple to white, 5 cm long, the anthers purple; gynophore purple, as long as the filaments, the ovary green, cylindrical. Fruit glabrous, turning from green to straw-colored, linear-cylindrical, with slightly wavy outline and prominent reticulate venation, tapering toward both ends, rugulose, 3-6.5 cm long, borne on a stipe (gynophore + androgynophore) 3.5-5 cm long, with an articulation (scar from stamens) at its middle; peduncle 1.5-2.7 cm long. Seeds kidneyshaped, beige, 2 mm wide, verrucose-reticulate.

  • Discussion

    Cleomepentaphylla L., Sp. PL, ed. 2, 2: 938. 1763.

    Common names: massambee, small spider flower.

  • Distribution

    In open, disturbed areas. Emmaus (W326). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Tortola; introduced from Africa into the Caribbean at an early date, now from southeastern United States to Brazil.

    Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Brazil South America| United States of America North America| Africa| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|