Boerhavia diffusa

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Photographs by: Dr. Maulik Gadani

Botanical Name : Boerhavia diffusa L.
Common Name : Spreading Hogweed, Satodi
Plant Family : Nyctaginaceae
Plant Form : Herb
Occurrence (Sectors) : 1-30
Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation, Indroda Park, Ayurvedic Udyan, Punit Van, Sarita Udyan, Van Chetana Kendra, Infocity, Aranya Van, Basan

Habit : A creeping, perennial, much-branched herb with stout fusiform roots.
Stem : Branches divaricate, stem puurrplish, thickened at nodes.
Leaves : Opposite, oblique, ovate or suborbicular, rounded, entire, margins slightly pinkish, wavy, lower surface with small, white scales, base rounded.
Inflorescence: Small umbels forming Corymbose, axillary and terminal panicles.
Flowers :
- Bracteoles lanceolate, acute. Perianth-tube constricted above the ovary, limb funnel-shaped, dark-pink, with 5 vertical bands outside.
- Stamens 2 or 3, slightly exserted, unequal.
- Ovary superior, oblique, ovule 1, erect, stigma peltate.
Fruit : Achene rounded, 6-ribbed.
Seeds : Minute, albuminous with perisperm. Embryo curved.
Flowering and Fruiting Time : September-December
Significance :
- Normally found as a weed.
- The leaves are used in ophthalmia and for eye wounds, muscular pain and purify the blood and hasten delivery and good for dropsy.
- The roots are considered laxative and diuretic. It is also used in asthma.