The World Flora Online

Herbs. Stems erect or decumbent at base, 20-80 cm, puberulous or glabrescent. Petiole 1.5-4 cm; leaf blade ovate, oblong, or lanceolate, 1.5-3.5 × 1-2.5 cm, abaxially white-gray, with sunken glands, base rounded or cuneate, margin with unicellular hairs, apex acute, rarely obtuse. Inflorescences mostly axillary, cymose panicles close together; peduncle to 2 cm. Pedicel 0.5-5 mm, with 1 or 2 lanceolate bracteoles. Perianth limb white, red, or pink, 1.5-2 mm. Stamens 2 or 3, slightly exserted. Anthocarp obconic, ca. 3 mm, glabrous, 5-ribbed, groove between ribs somewhat undulate, apex truncate, angular. Fl. and fr. summer.

Source: [
• 17
]. 

Herbs, annual [slightly woody at base]; taproot tapered, soft or ± woody. Stems usually erect, sometimes decumbent, profusely branched primarily distally, 2-12 dm, minutely puberulent with bent hairs basally, usually glabrous, rarely sparsely puberulent distally. Leaves mostly in basal ¹/2 of plant; larger leaves with petiole 6-40(-55) mm, blade broadly rhombic-ovate, triangular-ovate, ovate, oval, or lanceolate, 20-50(-80) × 10-45 mm (distal leaves smaller, proportionately narrower), adaxial surface usually glabrous, sometimes minutely puberulent, usually minutely punctate, abaxial surface slightly paler than adaxial, usually glabrous, sometimes minutely puberulent, usually punctate with small patches of small brown cells, base obtuse to round, margins entire or sinuate, apex usually acute, less often obtuse or rounded. Inflorescences terminal, forked ca. 4-6 times ± evenly, diffuse, usually with sticky internodal bands; branches strongly ascending, terminating in irregular umbellate or subracemose clusters of flowers, not all pedicels attaching at same point (flowers occasionally borne singly). Flowers: pedicel (0-)0.3-2.5(-5) mm; bracts at base of perianth deciduous, usually 2, narrowly to broadly lanceolate, 0.5-1 mm, apex often acuminate; perianth whitish, usually tinged with pink or purple [bright pink] between lobes and in tube, campanulate beyond constriction, 1-1.5 mm; stamens 2-4, slightly exserted. Fruits 1-11 per cluster, pale greenish to straw colored or tan, narrowly obconic, (2.7-)3-3.5[-4] × 1.2-1.5 mm (l/w: (2-)2.3-3.2), apex truncate or broadly low conic, glabrous; ribs 5, acute, slightly rugose adjacent to sulci; sulci 0.5-1 times as wide as base of ribs, slightly to prominently coarsely transverse rugose, not papillate.

Source: [
• 18
]. 

Boerhavia erecta L., Sp. Pl. 3. 1753.

Hierbas anuales, erectas o ascendentes, diminuta y frecuentemente dispersamente puberulento- a tomentoso-glandulares hasta glabras. Hojas ovadas, oblongas, obovadas, lanceoladas o lineares, 0.8–5.5 cm de largo y 0.6–3 cm de ancho, ápice acuminado a redondeado y comúnmente mucronado, base cuneada, redondeada o subtruncada, glabras o con pocos tricomas puberulentos diminutos en los nervios del envés, con numerosas puntuaciones café-rojas en el envés; pecíolo 0.5–4.5 cm de largo, menudamente puberulento- a tomentoso-glandular, a veces con algunos tricomas pilosos dispersos. Inflorescencia con ramas distales glabras; porción basal del cáliz claviforme, 1–1.2 mm de largo y 0.5–1 mm de ancho, glabra, la porción apical del cáliz campanulada, 1.5–1.7 mm de largo y de ancho, blanca, rosada o morado pálida (raramente más oscura). Antocarpo claviforme, 3 mm de largo y 0.7–1.5 mm de ancho, ápice truncado, glabro.

Muy común, en ambientes ruderales, en todo el país; 0–950 m; fl y fr durante todo el año; Moreno 600, 11536; sur de Estados Unidos hasta Perú y Argentina, también en las Antillas, ampliamente naturalizada en el Viejo Mundo.

Source: [
• 19
]. 

Annual herbs; stems erect or ascending, 2-8 dm. tall, rather slender, glabrous or essentially so. Leaves opposite or subopposite, often unequal at the nodes, petiolate; blade rather irregularly ovate-rhombic, obtuse to rounded, or infrequently acute, at the apex, broadly obtuse to rounded at the base, undulate or sinuate, 2-9 cm. long, 1-4 cm. broad, glabrous or essentially so, yellowish green above, paler and more or less conspicuously bracteate, glabrous or essentially so. Flowers in pedunculate 2- to 3-flowered dichasia, distinctly pedicellate, the perianth tube 1.0-1.5 mm. long, about 0.5 mm. broad, herbaceous, glabrous, the perianth limb campanulate, about 0.5-0.7 mm. long, white or pink; stamens 2-3, slightly exserted. Anthocarps obpyramidal, truncate, glabrous, 3-4 mm. long, 1.0-1.5 mm. broad, borne upon accrescent pedicels of about equal length.

Source: [
• 20
]. 

Erect to decumbent herb, to 50 cm tall, many-branched from a thickened base; twigs cylindrical, puberulent, reddish-tinged, collapsing when dried. Leaves in unequal pairs; blades 2.2-6 X 1.2-5 cm, ovate, wide-ovate, or triangular, chartaceous, puberulent, lower side glaucous, the apex obtuse to acuminate, the base rounded, truncate to nearly cordate, the margins wavy, ciliate; petioles puberulent, 0.5-4 cm long. Flowers pedicellate, in terminal clusters on axillary racemes or terminal panicles to 30 cm long; the axes glabrous; bracts and bracteoles lanceolate. Calyx base 0.6-1.2 mm , glabrous, green, the limb funnel-shaped, white, pinkish-tinged, 0.6-1.2 mm long; stamens usually 3, slightly exserted, the filaments pink. Anthocarp pedicellate, turning from green to straw-colored, short club-shaped, 3.2-3.5 mm long, 5- ribbed, glabrous.

Source: [
• 22
]. 

Slender herb, up to 80 cm, puberulous particularly towards apex. Leaves thin, ovate-oblong to lanceolate with rounded to truncate base; apex acute, 2–3.5 by 1–2.5 cm; flower surface often whitish and with inserted red glands. Petioles 2–4 cm. Inflorescences an open panicle; ultimate branches with cymes, 2–3 flowers, with peduncle 1.5–2 cm. Pedicels 0.5–5 mm. Perianth white, pink or red, tubular-campanulate, ca 2 mm, constricted about the middle. Stamens 1–2, exserted for 0.5 mm as the stigma. Anthocarp obconical, broadest at the truncate apex, glabrous, with 5 strongly marked ribs, star-shaped in cross-section.

Source: [
• 23
]. 

B. erecta can be distinguished from other members of the genus in southern Africa by its 5-winged anthocarp with wings slightly undulate along the margins.

Source: [
• 26
]. 

Tallo: presencia de espina(s) inerme(s); ramificación(es) difusa(s); consistencia del caule(s) herbaceo(s); forma de crescimiento decumbente(s)/erecto(s). Hoja: filotaxia opuesta(s); margen(es) de las hoja(s) entera. Inflorescencia: posición terminal(es); tipo de inflorescencia(s) umbela(s). Flor: bracteola(s) presente(s); forma del perianto(s) campanulada(s). Fruto: antocárpico(s) presente(s); forma obcónico(s); presencia de glándula(s) no glanduloso(s).

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Caule: presença de espinho(s) inerme(s); ramificação(ções) difusa(s); consistência do caule(s) herbáceo(s); forma de crescimento decumbente(s)/ereto(s). Folha: filotaxia oposta(s); margem(ns) das folha(s) inteira. Inflorescência: posição terminal(ais); tipo de inflorescência(s) umbela(s). Flor: bractéola(s) presente(s); forma do perianto(s) campanulado(s). Fruto: antocárpico(s) presente(s); formato obcônico(s); presença de glândula(s) não glanduloso(s).

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Stem: presence of the spine unarmed; branching diffuse; consistency of the branch herbaceous; form of the growth decumbent/erect. Leaf: phylotaxy opposite; margin of the leaf entire. Inflorescence: position terminal; type of the inflorescence umbel. Flower: bracteole(s) present; form of the perianth campanulate. Fruit: anthocarpous present; shape obconic; presence of the gland(s) non glandulose.

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Perianth 1.5–3 mm. long, glabrous, lower portion, 5-ribbed, upper portion 0.8–1.5 mm. long, campanulate, magenta, pink, mauve or white.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Stamens 2–3, 2–2.5 mm. long, subequal, slightly exerted.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Ovary 0.4–0.5 mm. long, glabrous; style 1.25–2 mm. long, slightly exerted.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Anthocarps 3–4 × 1–1.2 mm., turbinate, apex broadly obtuse or truncate, eglandular, glabrous; ribs 5, acute.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Flowers usually 2–5 (10) per cluster, sessile or with pedicels up to 2 mm. long.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Bracteoles 1–1.5 mm. long, lanceolate, ciliate.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Inflorescences terminal, cymose, ultimately diffusely paniculate; peduncles glabrous to puberulous, sometimes glandular.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Leaves 1.3–6.5 × 0.4–6 cm., narrowly to broadly ovate, base subcordate, rounded, more or less truncate or broadly cuneate, apex acute to obtuse, sometimes apiculate, glabrescent to sparsely pubescent, discolourous, usually distinctly reddish-brown glandular punctate on both surfaces; petioles up to 2 cm. long, pubescent or sometimes pilose.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Stems prostrate, decumbent or ascending, glabrescent to pubescent, often with scattered longer septate hairs particularly around nodes, sometimes viscid.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Annual or perennial herbs, branching freely from base, spreading.

Source: [
• 15
]. 

Annual, ascending or erect herb up to 1 m., with a stout rootstock.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Stems fleshy, becoming woody towards the base, green, often flushed with red, glabrescent to pubescent, branching mainly from the base, the nodes swollen.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Ovary ± 0.5 mm.; style 1–2 mm. long, slightly exserted.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Anthocarp obconical, 3–4×1–1.5 mm., 5-ribbed, truncate at the apex, glabrous.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Fig. 1/5.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Leaves broadly ovate to lanceolate, up to 7.5×7 cm., green above, greyish-white beneath, sometimes tinged purple, the base truncate to cuneate, the apex rounded to acute or rarely acuminate, margins sinuate, occasionally red tinged.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Inflorescence a large diffuse terminal panicle up to 65 cm. long, the individual cymes (1–)4–5(–8)-flowered.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Perianth 1.5–3.5 mm. long, up to 2 mm. wide; upper portion white to pale pink, sometimes with darker stripes, 1–1.5 mm. long.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Stamens 2(–3), slightly exserted.

Source: [
• 16
]. 

Semi-erect, soft herb, up to 350 mm tall. Stems puberulous. Leaves broadly ovate. Fruit eglandular, 5-ribbed, truncate at apex. Flowers purple.

Source: [
• 24
]. 

Semi-erect, soft herb, up to 0.35 mm high; plants unarmed. Leaves with blade broadly ovate, 13-65 x 4-60 mm, distinctly reddish brown punctate. Flowers: in terminal cymes, ultimately diffusely paniculate; stamens ± exserted; perianth cylindrical, relatively small and inconspicuous, purple; Oct.-Jan. Fruit eglandular, 5-ribbed, truncate at apex.

Source: [
• 25
]. 

Stems decumbent or prostrate, puberulent, with scattered long septate hairs. Leaves with petioles (5-)6-34(-35) mm long; lamina oblong, lanceolate, elliptic, deltoid or ovate, (15-)20-47(-51) x (10-)12-25(-29) mm; apex apiculate, acuminate, acute or obtuse; base shortly attenuate, obtuse or truncate; margins entire, sometimes undulate; glabrous, sometimes with long septate hairs along margins and veins. Inflorescence with primary peduncles ±115 mm long, secondary peduncles 55-65 mm long, glabrous to puberulous; 4-10 flowers per cluster; pedicels 1 mm long. Flowers 2-3 mm long; lower part of perianth 1-2 mm long, clavate, 5-ribbed, glabrous; upper part of perianth 1 mm long, pink, purple or white. Stamens 2, slightly exserted, 2-2.5 mm long. Ovary 0.5 mm; style 1-2 mm long. Anthocarp 3-4 x 1-2 mm, clavate, 5-winged, wings slightly undulate along margins, apex truncate, ending in pointed tip, glabrous.

Source: [
• 26
]. 

herbs

Source: [
• 20
]. 

Erva

Subarbusto

From sea-level up to 2000 m alt., usually on open ground; on all soils inclusive of salt pans, sands and limestones as B. diffusa but much rarer, only a dozen collections from

Source: [
• 23
]. 

Woodland.

Source: [
• 24
]. 

Dry Grassland. Woodland, disturbed places.

Source: [
• 25
]. 

Terrícola

The species grows in well- drained stony, gravel, sand, loam or clay soil in riverbeds, on plains, mountain slopes or hillsides and ridges, often along roadsides, in shade to full sun at altitudes of 250-1250 m.

Source: [
• 26
]. 

A small weed of beaches, open thickets, fields, roadsides, and wasteland; southern United States, Antilles, Central and South America; a rare sporadic ruderal in tropical Africa.

Source: [
• 20
]. 

A common roadside weed. Great Cruz Bay (A2356), Emmaus (A2822), Fish Bay (A2812). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; tropical America, West Africa, and Malaysia.

Source: [
• 22
]. 

Native to South America.

Source: [
• 24
]. 

Native to North Africa.

Source: [
• 25
]. 

B. erecta is a native of tropical America (Chen and Wu, 2007), but is naturalized in Namibia and South Africa, mainly in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North-West.

Source: [
• 26
].