Caltrop (Tribulus terrestris, Sp. Pl.: 387 (1753))

Family: Zygophyllaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 387 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Tribulus

Vegetable: False

Observations: Old World

Description

Caltrop, scientifically known as Tribulus terrestris, is a notable plant belonging to the Zygophyllaceae family. Recognized for its widespread presence across the Old World, this resilient species has intrigued botanists and herbalists alike for centuries. It was first documented in the seminal work “Species Plantarum” by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.

Tribulus terrestris thrives in various climates and soils, contributing to its extensive geographical distribution. This adaptability makes it a common sight in sandy and poor soil conditions, where other plant species might struggle to survive.

Physically, Caltrop is characterized by its sprawling, low-lying growth habit. It boasts a complex leaf structure with small, pinnate leaves that encapsulate its hardiness. During the flowering season, the plant produces small, yellow petals that add a subtle yet vibrant touch to its otherwise muted appearance.

One of the most distinctive features of Caltrop is its fruit. Spiky and robust, the fruit is covered in sharp thorns that can potentially puncture tires and feet, leading to its infamous reputation in many regions. Despite this, the plant holds significant value in traditional medicine and various cultural practices. Tribulus terrestris has been used historically for its supposed health benefits, addressing issues ranging from vitality and stamina to well-being.

In summary, Caltrop, or Tribulus terrestris, is a multifaceted plant with a strong foothold across diverse terrains of the Old World. Documented in the 18th century, its botanical and cultural significance endures, underpinned by a fascinating blend of resilience, utility, and historical prominence.

Common Names

Spa: cuernos de chivo, abrojos, espigón, roseta
Deu: gewöhnlicher burzeldorn
Dan: korstorn, malteserkors, rumpetorn
Eng: mexican sandbur, puncturevine, texas sandbur, bullhead, caltrop, cat’s-head, common dubbletjie, devil’s-thorn, devil’s-weed, goat’s-head, goathead, puncture vine, small caltrops, tribulus, burnut, mexican sandburr, texas sandburr, devil’s thorn, devils’ weed, land caltrop
Kin: bokokolome
Por: cruz-de-malta, tribulus-terrestris
Ces: kotvi
Swe: tiggarnöt
Fra: tribule terrestre, croix-de-malte, croix de malte
Nld: maltezer kruis
Pan: bhakhrha
Kor: nam-ga-sae
En: Caltrop, Tribulus, Cat’s-head, Common dubbletjie, Puncturevine, Goat’s-head, Devil’s-thorn, Devil’s-weed, Small caltrops, Caltrops, Land calotrops, Calthrop, Devil’s eyelashes, Devil’s thorn, Intolofiyane, Isihlabamakhondlwane, Isihoho, Goathead, Puncture vine, Mexican sandbur, Texas sandbur, Bullhead, Burnut, Mexican sandburr, Texas sandburr, Devils’ weed, Land caltrop, Cat´s-Head, Devil´s-Thorn, Devil´s-Weed, Goats Head, Land caltrops, Puncture Plant, Puncture-vine
Af: Duwweltjie
Ar: جطب (جَطب), خرشوم النعجه، خيشوم النعجه (خَيْشوم النعجة), دريسه, دقن الشيخ (دَقن الشيخ)، دقن الشيخ (ذَقن الشيخ), شقشق (شِقشِق)، دريس (دِريس), حسك أرضي, Chokaziz, Kutrah
Hy: Տատաշ գետնատարած
Az: Yatağan dəmirtikan
Bn: গোক্ষুর
Bg: Бабини зъби
Ca: Tríbol, Abriüll, Rodets
Zh: Ji li, 蒺藜
Co: Trivulu
Hr: Zemaljski babin zub
Cs: Kotvičník zemní, Kotvi
Da: Korstorn, Malteserkors, Rumpetorn
Dv: ކަށި ގޯނބިލި
Nl: Maltezer kruis
Fi: Okarennokki
Fr: Tribule terrestre, Croix-de-Malte, Croix de Malte, Escarbot
Gl: Abrollo
Ka: Კუროსთავი
De: Erd-Burzeldorn, Gewöhnlicher Burzeldorn, Erd-Bürzeldorn, Felddorn, Landbürzel
Gu: ગોખરુ
He: קטב מצוי, קוטב מצוי
Hi: गोखरू
Hu: Királydinnye
It: Tribolo comune, Caciarello, Tribolo
Kn: ನೆಗ್ಗಿಲು
Rw: Ubuhandanzovu, Bokokolome
Ko: Namgasae, 남가새, Nam-ga-sae
Lt: Gulsčioji ragužė
Ml: ചെറിയ ഞെരിഞ്ഞിൽ
Mr: गोखरू
Nv: Shash nátʼoh
No: Tiggarnøtt, Tiggernøtt
Pa: ਗੋਖਰੂ, Bhakhrha
Fa: خارخسک
Pl: Buzdyganek naziemny
Pt: Cruz-de-malta, Tribulus-terrestris, Abrolhos
Ro: Colții babei
Ru: Якорцы стелющиеся
Sa: गोकुरासस्यम्
Sr: Бабин зуб
Si: නෙරෙංචි
Sk: Kotvičník zemný
Es: Abrojos, Espigón, Cuernos de chivo, Roseta, Abrojo terrestre, Abrojo
Sw: Mbigili
Sv: Tiggarnöt
Zh-tw: 蒺藜
Tg: Муғелон
Ta: நெருஞ்சி
Th: โคกกระสุน
Zh-hant: 蒺藜
Uk: Якірці сланкі
Vi: Bạch tật lê

Synonyms

• Tribulus terrestris var. albidus (Friv.)
• Tribulus terrestris subsp. orientalis ((A.Kern.) Dostál)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Altay (native)
• Angola (native)
• Assam (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Bangladesh (native)
• Benin (native)
• Botswana (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Burkina (native)
• Burundi (native)
• Buryatiya (native)
• Cambodia (native)
• Cameroon (native)
• Canary Is. (native)
• Cape Provinces (native)
• Cape Verde (native)
• Caprivi Strip (native)
• Central African Repu (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Chad (native)
• China North-Central (native)
• China South-Central (native)
• China Southeast (native)
• Corse (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Djibouti (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• East Himalaya (native)
• Egypt (native)
• Eritrea (native)
• Ethiopia (native)
• France (native)
• Free State (native)
• Gambia (native)
• Ghana (native)
• Greece (native)
• Guinea (native)
• Gulf States (native)
• Hainan (native)
• Hungary (native)
• India (native)
• Inner Mongolia (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Italy (native)
• Ivory Coast (native)
• Japan (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kenya (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Korea (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Krym (native)
• Kuwait (native)
• KwaZulu-Natal (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Libya (native)
• Malawi (native)
• Maldives (native)
• Mali (native)
• Manchuria (native)
• Mauritania (native)
• Mongolia (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Mozambique (native)
• Mozambique Channel I (native)
• Myanmar (native)
• Namibia (native)
• Nepal (native)
• Niger (native)
• Nigeria (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• Northern Provinces (native)
• Oman (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Qinghai (native)
• Romania (native)
• Rwanda (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Saudi Arabia (native)
• Senegal (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• Sinai (native)
• Socotra (native)
• Somalia (native)
• South China Sea (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sri Lanka (native)
• Sudan (native)
• Swaziland (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Taiwan (native)
• Tanzania (native)
• Thailand (native)
• Tibet (native)
• Togo (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Tuva (native)
• Uganda (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• Vietnam (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yemen (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Zambia (native)
• Zaïre (native)
• Zimbabwe (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Bolivia (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Chile North (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• Galápagos (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Kansas (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Mexico Northwest (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Nebraska (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Panamá (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• South Dakota (introduced)
• St.Helena (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Turks-Caicos Is. (introduced)
• Uruguay (introduced)
• Utah (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)

Additional Images

© 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.

Habit

Taken Jun 18, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 24, 2022 by Vittorio Basso (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 17, 2013 by Joan Curià (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Sep 18, 2018 by margarida vila (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 18, 2018 by margarida vila (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 27, 2022 by Manu 🍃 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 17, 2013 by Joan Curià (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Oct 8, 2019 by Mehmet Basbag (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 21, 2017 by Mehmet Basbag (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 21, 2019 by André Hyvrier (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 28, 2019 by Mehmet Basbag (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 17, 2013 by Joan Curià (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Aug 24, 2022 by Vittorio Basso (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 6, 2022 by Werner Rom (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 20, 2019 by Christophe Maheu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 17, 2019 by Maise Carreras (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Sep 8, 2022 by Шамхалов Магомед (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 18, 2013 by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 3, 2022 by M. Hedayat (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 27, 2022 by M. Hedayat (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Oct 26, 2018 by Mehmet Basbag (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 13, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Michel GAU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 18, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Jean-Luc Gorremans (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 18, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Jean-Luc Gorremans (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 15, 1906 by Tela Botanica − Anne-Marie GRIMAUD (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5421116)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:873489-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Tribulus terrestris L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.5

Ph minimum: 7.0

Light: 9

Atmospheric humidity: 3

Bloom months: [‘apr’, ‘may’, ‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’, ‘sep’]

Soil nutriments: 6