Corchorus siliquosus L.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Malvaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Corchorus siliquosus L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Erect subshrub or perennial herb, 0.3-l(-2) m tall, densely branched; young branches and leaves puberulent or pubescent; stems often with 1 or 2 lines of short hairs or glabrous. Leaf blades 1-5 x 0.5-2.5 cm, ovate to oblong-ovate, chartaceous, the apex acute or acuminate, the base mostly rounded or obtuse, the margins serrate; petioles 5-25 mm long; stipules linear-lanceolate, 1.5-5 mm long. Inflorescences 2(-3)-flowered, or flowers solitary, short-peduncled; pedicels 4-8 mm long, about twice the length of the peduncles. Sepals 6-8 mm long, oblong-lanceolate, acute; petals yellow, spatulate, 5-6 mm long; androgynophore and disk absent; stamens numerous; ovary 2-locular, narrowly oblong. Capsule (3.5-)5-8 cm long, ca. 3 mm diam., linear, silique-like, glabrous, or when young somewhat pubescent, brown, blunt, terminating in 2 short, bifid teeth at the more or less truncate apex. Seeds ca. 1.5 mm long, truncate at both ends, black, smooth.

  • Discussion

    Common Name: Broom Weed

  • Distribution

    A weed of cultivated and other disturbed areas. Fish Bay near mouth of Fish Bay Gut (A3877), trail to Sieben (A2641), hillside above Cinnamon Bay (M17007). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Tortola; occurring almost throughout tropical America.

    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|