Cleome monophylla
L., Sp. Pl. 672. 1753; Hook. f. & Thomson in Fl. Brit. India
1: 168. 1872.
Beng.: Hurhura; Kan.: Menasinakare; Mar.: Chamani, Santal, Kedar-jowar; Tam.: Elluku-sakkalathi; Tel.: Gorjuoi-saag (Khonda-kammaras, Khonds & Porjas tribals).
Herbs, annual, erect, branched, up to 1 m high, glandular-pubescent; stems branching from base, angled, striate. Leaves simple, linear, linear-lanceolate, oblong or oblong-ovate, 2 - 10 x (0.3-) 1 - 3.5 cm, truncate at base, acute at apex, ciliate along margins; petioles up to 5 cm long, shorter than leaves, glandular-pubescent. Racemes terminal, lax, up to 30 cm long; bracts sessile, foliaceous, cordate at base. Flowers 1 - 1.5 cm across, pink, light purple, mauve or white, faintly odorous; pedicels glandular pubescent, up to 10 mm long. Sepals linear or lanceolate, acuminate, 3 - 5 mm long, ca 1 mm wide. Petals oblong, obovate or spathulate, tapering and clawed at base, rounded at apex, 6 - 10 mm long, ca 1.5 mm wide. Stamens 6; filaments unequal, 5 - 8 mm long; anthers ca 2 mm long. Ovary linear, 5 - 8 mm long, ca 1 mm thick, sessile or on a short ca 0.5 mm long gynophore. Capsules subsessile or on up to 3 mm long gynophore, subcylindric, linear, 7 - 11 cm long, up to 3 mm thick, with a flat 3 - 9 mm long beak, strongly ribbed, clothed with glandular or eglandular hairs; seeds 35 - 40, suborbicular, ridged with longitudinal striations, closed at cleft, 1.8 - 2 x 1.6 - 1.8 mm, dark brown, pubescent.
Fl. June - Nov.; Fr. Aug. - Feb.
Distrib. India: Common in cultivated fields, roadsides, grasslands, wastelands or sandy soil from sea level to 1300 m. Throughout the plains of the country except in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and N.E. hill states.
Sri Lanka and Tropical Asia.
Notes. Warm leaf paste applied on breast ulcers by the tribals Khonds, Konda-Kammaras and Porjas of Andhra Pradesh. Tender leaves used as vegetable and also to increase lactation by Bagatas, Nukadoras and Porjas of Andhra Pradesh.
Herbs, annual, erect, branched, up to 1 m high, glandular-pubescent; stems branching from base, angled, striate. Leaves simple, linear, linear-lanceolate, oblong or oblong-ovate, 2 - 10 x (0.3-) 1 - 3.5 cm, truncate at base, acute at apex, ciliate along margins; petioles up to 5 cm long, shorter than leaves, glandular-pubescent. Racemes terminal, lax, up to 30 cm long; bracts sessile, foliaceous, cordate at base. Flowers 1 - 1.5 cm across, pink, light purple, mauve or white, faintly odorous; pedicels glandular pubescent, up to 10 mm long. Sepals linear or lanceolate, acuminate, 3 - 5 mm long, ca 1 mm wide. Petals oblong, obovate or spathulate, tapering and clawed at base, rounded at apex, 6 - 10 mm long, ca 1.5 mm wide. Stamens 6; filaments unequal, 5 - 8 mm long; anthers ca 2 mm long. Ovary linear, 5 - 8 mm long, ca 1 mm thick, sessile or on a short ca 0.5 mm long gynophore. Capsules subsessile or on up to 3 mm long gynophore, subcylindric, linear, 7 - 11 cm long, up to 3 mm thick, with a flat 3 - 9 mm long beak, strongly ribbed, clothed with glandular or eglandular hairs; seeds 35 - 40, suborbicular, ridged with longitudinal striations, closed at cleft, 1.8 - 2 x 1.6 - 1.8 mm, dark brown, pubescent.
Fl. June - Nov.; Fr. Aug. - Feb.
Distrib. India: Common in cultivated fields, roadsides, grasslands, wastelands or sandy soil from sea level to 1300 m. Throughout the plains of the country except in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and N.E. hill states.
Sri Lanka and Tropical Asia.
Notes. Warm leaf paste applied on breast ulcers by the tribals Khonds, Konda-Kammaras and Porjas of Andhra Pradesh. Tender leaves used as vegetable and also to increase lactation by Bagatas, Nukadoras and Porjas of Andhra Pradesh.
