Cleome gynandra

• Botanical Name : Cleome gynandra L.
• Synonyms : Gynandropsis pentaphylla (L.) DC., Cleome pentaphylla L.
• Common Name : Wild Spider Flower, African Spider-Flower, Tanmadi, Sati Talavani
• Plant Family : Capparaceae or Capparidaceae
• Plant Form : Herb
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 26
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Sarita Udyan

About Cleome gynandra Plant :

• Habit : An annual, erect,branched, hairy herb having tap root system.
• Stem : Erect, well branched, herbaceous.
• Leaves : 3-5 foliate, petioles long, leaflets sub-sessile, elliptic-obovate, acute, hairy on both sides, margin crenate-dentate.
• Inflorescence : Corymbose raceme.
• Flowers :
  • White or pale pink, at first corymbose, elongating into a raceme with bracts which are trifoliate. Sepals 4, lanceolate.
  • Petals 4, on one side, obovate, clawed.
  • Stamens 6, raised on androgynophore purple in colour.
  • Ovary raised on a short gynophore, 1-celled with parietal placenta.
  • Style almost absent.
• Fruit : A long siliqua. Seeds rough.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : July-September
• Significance : The leaves are applied externally to boils to prevent the formation of pus.