Cleome gynandra
L.
Cleomaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: African Spider Flower
General Information
Cleome gynandra is an annual plant that can grow up to 1.30 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Tropical and Sub-Tropical zones.
Habitat
Open areas and uncultivated land to an elevation of 300 metres in Nepal[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual |
| Height | 1.30 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a light fertile soil in a warm dry sunny position with plenty of room to spread[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
A frost tender plant, it can be grown as a summer annual in Britain[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
A decoction of the root is used to treat fevers[
243- Title
- Medicinal Plants of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.
,
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
]. The juice of the root is used to relieve scorpion stings[
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
The leaves, applied as a poultice, are used as a vesicant and rubefacient in the treatment of rheumatism[
243- Title
- Medicinal Plants of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.
,
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
]. The juice of the leaves is a remedy for pain in the ear[
243- Title
- Medicinal Plants of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.
].
The seeds are anthelmintic and rubefacient[
243- Title
- Medicinal Plants of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.
,
272- Title
- Plants and People of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
- Manandhar. N. P.
- Publisher
- Timber Press. Oregon.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 0-88192-527-6
- Description
- Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
The whole plant is used in the treatment of scorpion stings and snake bites[
243- Title
- Medicinal Plants of Nepal
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Terse details of the medicinal properties of Nepalese plants, including cultivated species and a few imported herbs.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - surface sow or only lightly cover the seed in spring in a greenhouse[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
]. The seed usually germinates in 5 - 14 days at 25°c[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring. Day time temperatures below 20°c depress germination but a night time fall to 20° is necessary[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
].
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Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
