Cyathula prostrata explained

Cyathula prostrata, the prostrate pastureweed,^[1] is a perennial, prostrate, herbaceous plant distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical world.^[2]

Etymology and names

Etymology

• Cyathula: sy-ATH-uh-la - small cup.^[3]
• prostrata: prost-RAY-tuh - prostrate.

Names

• • , ರಕ್ತಪಮರ್ಗ (raktapamarga)

Source: ^[4]

Distribution and habitat

Native range

• Africa

Benin, Burkina, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gulf of Guinea Is., Zaïre, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar.

• Asia-Temperate

China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, Taiwan.

• Asia-Tropical

Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Islands, Peninsular Malaysia, Maluku, Philippines, Singapore, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, Solomon Is.

• Pacific

Caroline Is.Source: ^[5]

Introduced range

Bolivia, Caroline Is., Cook Is., French Guiana, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Marquesas, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Seychelles, Society Is., Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Tubuai Is., Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is.

Description

• Habit : Perennial, prostrate herbs.
• Leaves : Opposite, rhomboid, acute at both ends, thinly pubescent; petiolate.
• Inflorescence : Spike terminal, slender, solitary or in group of three.
• Flowers : In groups of 3-5 of which one perfect and others neuter; bracts and bracteoles similar, lanceolate, acuminate, pubescent; tepals 5, free, elliptic, acute, hooked awn like in neutor flowers.
• Androecium : Stamens 5, filaments united into a membranous truncate cup; staminodes membranous, alternate with stamens, fimbriate.
• Gynoecium : Ovary ovoid, style simple, stigma capitellate.
• Fruits : Achenes, obovoid, compressed, golden brown.
• Flowering and fruiting : September-April.^[6]

Varieties

• Cyathula prostrata var. prostrata
• Cyathula prostrata var. lancifolia - Philippines.
• Cyathula prostrata var. pedicellata - Tropical Africa.

Uses and ecology

The plant is locally used as a medicine but also as a food and source of soap.^[7] It is also recorded as a larval host plant of Fulvous Pied Flat butterfly.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cyathula prostrata - Prostrate Pastureweed. flowersofindia.net.
2. Web site: Cyathula prostrata (L.) Blume | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science. Plants of the World Online.
3. Web site: Searching Botanary. davesgarden.com.
4. Web site: Cyathula prostrata - Names of Plants in India. sites.google.com.
5. Web site: Cyathula prostrata - Wikispecies. species.wikimedia.org.
6. https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/259760 India Biodiversity Portal
7. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cyathula+prostrata#:~:text=Cyathula%20prostrata%20is%20an%20annual,305 Useful Tropical Plants
8. https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/pseudocoladenia-dan Butterflies of India