Burweed (Achyranthes aspera, Sp. Pl.: 204 (1753))

Family: Amaranthaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 204 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Achyranthes

Vegetable: False

Observations: Trop. & Subtrop. Old World

Description

Achyranthes aspera, commonly known as Burweed, is a notable species within the Amaranthaceae family. First described and classified by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753, this robust plant has drawn attention for its distinctive morphology and widespread presence across the tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World.

Burweed thrives in a variety of environments, showcasing its adaptability. It is often found along roadsides, in wastelands, and other disturbed areas, where it readily establishes itself. Its growth habit enables it to endure challenging conditions, making it a pervasive presence in many landscapes.

This plant is characterized by its erect, sometimes sprawling, stems which can reach impressive heights, accented by a striking angular and rough texture. The leaves of Burweed are typically ovate to lanceolate, with a granular surface that contributes to its distinctive textured appearance. One of the most recognizable features of this species is its inflorescence: a long, spike-like structure adorned with numerous small, greenish flowers that mature into sharp, bristle-covered seeds. These seeds are notorious for their ability to adhere to clothing and fur, facilitating their dispersal over wide areas.

Achyranthes aspera holds cultural and medicinal significance in various regions where it grows. Traditionally, different parts of the plant have been utilized for their supposed therapeutic properties, addressing ailments ranging from digestive issues to skin conditions. Despite the variability in its medicinal applications, local knowledge continues to preserve its relevance in many communities.

Overall, Burweed is a fascinating example of botanical resilience and versatility, demonstrating a widespread ability to colonize diverse environments and maintain its ecological and cultural roles.

Common Names

Eng: devil’s horsewhip, burweed, chaff-flower, chaffbur, prickly chaff-flower, man better man, devil’s horsewhip, worry vine
Spa: rabo de gato
Heb: rav-motz mechuspas, רב מוץ מחוספס
Deu: spreublume
Afr: grootklits, langklitskafblom
Lin: kolokoso
Kin: muhulolo
Ara: na’eem
En: Burweed, Chaff-flower, Chaffbur, Prickly chaff-flower, Devil’s horsewhip, Man Better Man, Devil’s Horsewhip, Worry Vine, Prickly Chaff Flower, Rough Chaff-flower
Af: Langklitskafblom, Grootklits
Ar: Na’eem
Zh: Tu niu xi
Fr: Herbe d’Eugène, Herbe à Bengalis
De: Spreublume
He: Rav-motz mechuspas, רב מוץ מחוספס, רב-מוץ מחוספס
Rw: Muhulolo
Ln: Kolokoso
Es: Rabo de Gato

Synonyms

• Stachyarpagophora aspera ((L.) M.Gómez)
• Centrostachys aspera ((L.) Standl.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Aldabra (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Andaman Is. (native)
• Angola (native)
• Assam (native)
• Azores (native)
• Bangladesh (native)
• Benin (native)
• Bismarck Archipelago (native)
• Borneo (native)
• Botswana (native)
• Burkina (native)
• Burundi (native)
• Cambodia (native)
• Cameroon (native)
• Canary Is. (native)
• Cape Provinces (native)
• Cape Verde (native)
• Caroline Is. (native)
• Central African Repu (native)
• Chad (native)
• Chagos Archipelago (native)
• China South-Central (native)
• China Southeast (native)
• Christmas I. (native)
• Cocos (Keeling) Is. (native)
• Comoros (native)
• Congo (native)
• Djibouti (native)
• East Himalaya (native)
• Egypt (native)
• Eritrea (native)
• Ethiopia (native)
• Free State (native)
• Gabon (native)
• Gambia (native)
• Ghana (native)
• Gilbert Is. (native)
• Guinea (native)
• Guinea-Bissau (native)
• Gulf of Guinea Is. (native)
• Gulf States (native)
• Hainan (native)
• India (native)
• Iran (native)
• Italy (native)
• Ivory Coast (native)
• Jawa (native)
• Kazan-retto (native)
• Kenya (native)
• KwaZulu-Natal (native)
• Laccadive Is. (native)
• Laos (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Lesotho (native)
• Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
• Liberia (native)
• Line Is. (native)
• Madagascar (native)
• Madeira (native)
• Malawi (native)
• Malaya (native)
• Maldives (native)
• Mali (native)
• Maluku (native)
• Marianas (native)
• Marshall Is. (native)
• Mauritania (native)
• Mauritius (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Mozambique (native)
• Mozambique Channel I (native)
• Myanmar (native)
• Namibia (native)
• Nansei-shoto (native)
• Nauru (native)
• Nepal (native)
• New Guinea (native)
• Nicobar Is. (native)
• Niger (native)
• Nigeria (native)
• Norfolk Is. (native)
• Northern Provinces (native)
• Northern Territory (native)
• Ogasawara-shoto (native)
• Oman (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Panamá (native)
• Philippines (native)
• Pitcairn Is. (native)
• Queensland (native)
• Rodrigues (native)
• Rwanda (native)
• Réunion (native)
• Samoa (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Saudi Arabia (native)
• Selvagens (native)
• Senegal (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• Sierra Leone (native)
• Society Is. (native)
• Socotra (native)
• Solomon Is. (native)
• Somalia (native)
• South China Sea (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sri Lanka (native)
• Sudan (native)
• Sulawesi (native)
• Sumatera (native)
• Swaziland (native)
• Taiwan (native)
• Tanzania (native)
• Thailand (native)
• Tokelau-Manihiki (native)
• Tuamotu (native)
• Tubuai Is. (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Tuvalu (native)
• Uganda (native)
• Vietnam (native)
• Wallis-Futuna Is. (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• Western Australia (native)
• Western Sahara (native)
• Yemen (native)
• Zambia (native)
• Zaïre (native)
• Zimbabwe (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Aruba (introduced)
• Austria (introduced)
• Bahamas (introduced)
• Belize (introduced)
• Bolivia (introduced)
• Brazil North (introduced)
• Brazil Northeast (introduced)
• Brazil Southeast (introduced)
• Brazil West-Central (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Cook Is. (introduced)
• Costa Rica (introduced)
• Cuba (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• El Salvador (introduced)
• Fiji (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• French Guiana (introduced)
• Galápagos (introduced)
• Guatemala (introduced)
• Guyana (introduced)
• Haiti (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Honduras (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Japan (introduced)
• Kermadec Is. (introduced)
• Leeward Is. (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Marquesas (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Mexico Central (introduced)
• Mexico Gulf (introduced)
• Mexico Northeast (introduced)
• Mexico Northwest (introduced)
• Mexico Southeast (introduced)
• Mexico Southwest (introduced)
• Netherlands Antilles (introduced)
• New Caledonia (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• Nicaragua (introduced)
• Niue (introduced)
• Palestine (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Puerto Rico (introduced)
• Seychelles (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• Southwest Caribbean (introduced)
• St.Helena (introduced)
• Suriname (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Tonga (introduced)
• Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
• Turks-Caicos Is. (introduced)
• Vanuatu (introduced)
• Venezuela (introduced)
• Venezuelan Antilles (introduced)
• Windward Is. (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Nov 28, 2010 by EOL − Jkadavoor (Jee) (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Jun 2, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 8, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 4, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 2, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jun 9, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 29, 2021 by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 2, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 10, 2021 by sylvie rimlinger (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 6, 2022 by Amarendra Kumar (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Dec 1, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 15, 1987 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken Aug 15, 1987 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken Nov 23, 2022 by vinnekarani (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 6, 2022 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jul 6, 2022 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 4, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 28, 2014 by Tela Botanica − S. Paulin KOURA (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 8, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Nov 23, 2022 by vinnekarani (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 2, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 22, 2022 by Leigh Winowiecki (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 4, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 2, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken May 15, 2019 by Mercedes Garcia (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 2014 by Thomas Delhotal (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 2014 by Thomas Delhotal (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 2014 by Thomas Delhotal (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 2, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3085168)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:2468-2)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Achyranthes aspera L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Subshrub, Forb/herb

Growth