''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds.

Taxonomy

There are over 100 species in the genus ''Boerhavia'', which is in the family Nyctaginaceae, which includes the

four o'clock flower ''Mirabilis jalapa'', the marvel of Peru or four o'clock flower, is the most commonly grown ornamental species of ''Mirabilis'' plant, and is available in a range of colors. ''Mirabilis'' in Latin means wonderful and Jalapa (or Xalapa) is the st ...

. The genus was named for the Dutch botanist Herman Boerhaave, and often misspelt as "Boerhaavia". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds.

Description

Some species are annuals and others perennials. In habit they generally are

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

. "Spiderling" refers to the appearance of those species that bear inflorescences on numerous long, slender stems, interlocking in a manner suggestive of a spider or spider's web. ''Boerhavia'' species generally are native to warm tropical regions.

Significance

Several species of ''Boerhavia'' are of importance as agricultural and horticultural weeds. Some are valued as forage for grazing livestock, and some, such as '' Boerhavia erecta'', also are of use as human food and folk medicine.

Selected species

*''

Boerhavia anisophylla ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' Torr. – wineflower *''

Boerhavia boissieri ''Boerhavia boissieri'' is a species of plant in the Nyctaginaceae family. It is a woody-based perennial with long, slender stems with fleshy leaves and small pink flowers. It grows throughout Egypt, Sahara Desert, Sudan, Eritrea, Zaire, Mala ...

'' *'' Boerhavia coccinea'' P.Mill. – scarlet spiderling *''

Boerhavia coulteri ''Boerhavia coulteri'' is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common name Coulter's spiderling. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, particularly the desert areas. This is an annual ...

'' (Hook.f.) S.Wats. - Coulter spiderling, Coulter's spiderling *''

Boerhavia diffusa ''Boerhaavia diffusa'' is a species of flowering plant in the Nyctaginaceae, four o'clock family which is commonly known as punarnava (meaning that which rejuvenates or renews the body in Ayurveda), red spiderling, spreading hogweed, or tarvine. ...

'' L. – red spiderling *''

Boerhavia dominii ''Boerhavia dominii'', commonly known as tarvine, is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family. It is native to Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country compris ...

'' Meikle & Hewson – tah-vine *''

Boerhavia elegans ''Boerhavia elegans'' is a species of flowering plants in the four o'clock flower family, Nyctaginaceae. It is one of the species that compose the "tortoise turf", the food source of the Aldabra giant tortoise, of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seyche ...

'' *'' Boerhavia erecta'' L. – erect spiderling *''

Boerhavia gracillima ''Boerhavia gracillima,'' the slimstalk spiderling, is a plant species native to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. ...

'' Heimerl – slim-stalk spiderling, slimstalk spiderling *''

Boerhavia herbstii ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' Fosberg – alena *''

Boerhavia intermedia ''Boerhavia intermedia'' is a species of spiderling plant known by the common name five-wing spiderling. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the common weed ''Boerhavia erecta''. This spiderling is a fairly widespread annual herb of the s ...

'' M.E.Jones – five-wing spiderling, fivewing spiderling *''

Boerhavia linearifolia ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' Gray – narrowleaf spiderling *''

Boerhavia mathisiana ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' F.B.Jones – Mathis' spiderling *''

Boerhavia megaptera ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' Standl. – annual spiderling, Tucson Mountain spiderling *''

Boerhavia pterocarpa ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' S.Wats. – Apache Pass spiderling *''

Boerhavia purpurascens ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' Gray – purple spiderling *''

Boerhavia repens ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' L. *''

Boerhavia scandens ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. T ...

'' L. – climbing spiderling, climbing wartclub, wishbone vine *''

Boerhavia spicata ''Boerhavia'' is a genus of over 100 species in the Nyctaginaceae family. The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch Republic, Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "''Boerhaavia''". Common names include spiderlings ...

'' Choisy – creeping spiderling * ''Boerhavia tetrandra'' G.Forst. Range: Lord Howe Island, Pacific islands, New South Wales, Queensland, Polynesia, Micronesia. Native names across the Pacific Islands include runa, paikea, tiale katuli, tiare katuri, katuri, naunau, and momoe. Found on

Bramble Cay Bramble Cay, also known as Maizab Kaur (also spelt Maizub Kaur) and Massaramcoer, is a small cay located at the northeastern edge of Australia and the Torres Strait Islands of Queensland and at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef. Lying ...

in the Torres Strait, and eaten as a type of

spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...

by humans. *''

Boerhavia triquetra Boerhavia triquetra, with the common names creeping sticky stem, slender spiderling, spiderling, is an annual desert plant in the four o'clock family (Nyctaginaceae). It is native to California and Arizona, in habitats of the Mojave Desert and ...

'' S.Wats. – slender spiderling *''

Boerhavia wrightii ''Boerhavia wrightii'' is a species of flowering plant in the four o'clock family known by the common name largebract spiderling. It is native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows amongst desert shr ...

'' Gray – Wright's boerhavia

Gallery

File:Boerhavia diffusa in AP W2 IMG 8087.jpg, ''

'' in Amaravathi village, Guntur district, India. File:Boerhavia erecta in Hyderabad W IMG 8889.jpg, '' Boerhavia erecta'' in Hyderabad, India. File:Boerhavia erecta in Hyderabad W IMG 8887.jpg, ''B. erecta'' in Hyderabad File:Boerhavia erecta in Hyderabad W IMG 8886.jpg, ''B. erecta'' in Hyderabad File:Boerhavia (7596963712).jpg

References

Caryophyllales genera {{Caryophyllales-stub