Boerhavia

Boerhaavia is a genus of over 100 species in the four o'clock flower family, Nyctaginaceae.[1] Some species are annuals and others perennials. In habit they generally are herbaceous.

Boerhavia
Boerhavia diffusa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Nyctaginaceae
Tribe: Nyctagineae
Genus: Boerhavia
L.
Species

See text

Common names include spiderlings and hogweeds. "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.

The genus was named for Herman Boerhaave, a Dutch botanist, and the genus name is frequently misspelled "Boerhaavia".

Boerhavia species generally are native to warm tropical regions.

Selected species
  • Boerhavia anisophylla Torr. – wineflower
  • Boerhavia boissieri
  • 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 L. – climbing spiderling, climbing wartclub, wishbone vine
  • Boerhavia spicata Choisy – creeping spiderling
  • Boerhavia triquetra S.Wats. – slender spiderling
  • Boerhavia wrightii Gray – Wright's boerhavia

Agricultural and horticultural 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.

gollark: Mine cause ore to spontaneously exist. Also litherite and erodium.
gollark: No.
gollark: No actual drilling.
gollark: It isn't boring, it's a *void* ore miner.
gollark: Or GTech™ ominous beacon beams™.

References
  1. The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Published on the Internet; (accessed 1st January)


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