''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''
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''
(Hook.f.) S.Wats. - Coulter spiderling, Coulter's spiderling
*''
Boerhavia diffusa''
L. – red spiderling
*''
Boerhavia dominii''
Meikle & Hewson – tah-vine
*''
Boerhavia elegans''
*''
Boerhavia erecta''
L. – erect spiderling
*''
Boerhavia gracillima''
Heimerl – slim-stalk spiderling, slimstalk spiderling
*''
Boerhavia herbstii''
Fosberg – alena
*''
Boerhavia intermedia''
M.E.Jones – five-wing spiderling, fivewing spiderling
*''
Boerhavia linearifolia''
Gray – narrowleaf spiderling
*''
Boerhavia mathisiana''
F.B.Jones – Mathis' spiderling
*''
Boerhavia megaptera''
Standl. – annual spiderling, Tucson Mountain spiderling
*''
Boerhavia pterocarpa''
S.Wats. – Apache Pass spiderling
*''
Boerhavia purpurascens''
Gray – purple spiderling
*''
Boerhavia repens''
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 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''
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, '' Boerhavia diffusa'' 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