Family: Plantaginaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. pl. 1:116. 1753
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Scoparia
Vegetable: False
Observations: Trop. & Subtrop. America
Description
Scoparia-weed (Scoparia dulcis)
Scoparia-weed, known scientifically as Scoparia dulcis, is a fascinating and versatile plant species that belongs to the Plantaginaceae family. This resilient plant is primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions of America, where it thrives in a variety of environmental conditions.
Originally described in 1753, Scoparia dulcis has since been recognized for its widespread presence and adaptability. The plant typically features slender, erect stems and small, bright green leaves that are arranged oppositely. Its delicate white flowers bloom profusely, adding a touch of understated beauty to natural landscapes and cultivated gardens alike.
Scoparia-weed is renowned not only for its ecological adaptability but also for its traditional medicinal uses. Many cultures within its native range utilize various parts of the plant for their therapeutic properties. It has been employed in folk medicine to treat ailments ranging from respiratory issues to digestive disorders, highlighting its importance in ethnobotanical practices.
The plant’s capacity to grow in diverse environments, coupled with its notable medicinal attributes, marks Scoparia dulcis as a significant species within the Plantaigaceae family and beyond. Its presence in both wild and cultivated settings continues to draw the interest of botanists and herbalists who seek to understand and harness the potential benefits of this remarkable plant.
Common Names
Spa: escobilla
Eng: licorice weed, scoparia-weed, sweet-broom, sweet broom
Por: vassoura-de-botão, vassourinha
En: Scoparia-weed, Sweet-broom, Licorice weed, Licorice-Weed, Sweet Broom, Liquorice weed, Sweet broomweed, Sweetbroom, Vacourinha, Escobilla, Tapixaba, Vassourinha
Bn: মিশ্রিদানা
My: ဒန္တသုခပင်
Zh: 甜珠草, 野甘草
Fr: Balai doux, Thé-savans, Petit balai a graines, Herbe a balai, Herbe a balai sauvage, Petit balai, Ti balai
Ht: Bale dou
Hi: मीठी पत्ती
Jv: Grinje
Ml: കല്ലുരുക്കി
Pt: Tapeiçaba, Tapixaba(SP), Tupixaba, Vassourinha, Vassourinha-de-botão(CE), Vassourinha-doce(MG) (3) do campo, Vassourinha-miuda, Vassourinha-mofina(BA), Vassourinha-tapicaba(RS), Vassoura de botão, Vassoura-de-botão
Pt-br: Tapeiçava, Tapixaba, Tupixava, Vassourinha, Vassourinha-doce, Vassourinha-miúda
Qu: Ñukñu pichana
Sg: Yöröki
Es: Escobilla, Mastuerzo, Escoba de Castilla, Escoba de San Pedro, Escobilla Amarga
Zh-tw: 甜珠草
Th: กรดน้ำ
Zh-hant: 野甘草
Synonyms
- Capraria dulcis var. coerulea (Kuntze)
- Scoparia dulcis var. abrahamii (S.N.Pardeshi & Srinivasu)
- Scoparia gypsophyloides (Walp.)
- Scoparia dulcis var. tenuifolia (Griseb.)
- Ambulia micrantha ((Nutt.) Raf.)
- Scoparia grandiflora (Nash)
- Capraria dulcis ((L.) Kuntze)
- Capraria dulcis var. albiflora (Kuntze)
- Scoparia dulcis var. typica (Domin)
- Scoparia purpurea (Ridl.)
- Scoparia ternata (Forssk.)
- Scoparia procumbens (Jacq.)
- Scoparia dulcis var. australiensis (Domin)
- Scoparia fruticosa (Rottb.)
Distribution
- Alabama (native)
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Argentina Northwest (native)
- Aruba (native)
- Bahamas (native)
- Belize (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Cayman Is. (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- El Salvador (native)
- Florida (native)
- French Guiana (native)
- Galápagos (native)
- Georgia (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Honduras (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Louisiana (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Mississippi (native)
- Netherlands Antilles (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Panamá (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- South Carolina (native)
- Southwest Caribbean (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Texas (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Venezuelan Antilles (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
- Andaman Is. (introduced)
- Angola (introduced)
- Assam (introduced)
- Bangladesh (introduced)
- Benin (introduced)
- Burkina (introduced)
- Cambodia (introduced)
- Cameroon (introduced)
- Caroline Is. (introduced)
- Central African Repu (introduced)
- Central American Pac (introduced)
- Chad (introduced)
- Chagos Archipelago (introduced)
- China South-Central (introduced)
- China Southeast (introduced)
- Christmas I. (introduced)
- Cocos (Keeling) Is. (introduced)
- Comoros (introduced)
- Congo (introduced)
- Czechoslovakia (introduced)
- East Himalaya (introduced)
- Ethiopia (introduced)
- Fiji (introduced)
- Gabon (introduced)
- Gambia (introduced)
- Ghana (introduced)
- Guinea (introduced)
- Guinea-Bissau (introduced)
- Gulf of Guinea Is. (introduced)
- India (introduced)
- Ivory Coast (introduced)
- Kenya (introduced)
- KwaZulu-Natal (introduced)
- Laos (introduced)
- Lesser Sunda Is. (introduced)
- Liberia (introduced)
- Madagascar (introduced)
- Malawi (introduced)
- Malaya (introduced)
- Mali (introduced)
- Marianas (introduced)
- Marshall Is. (introduced)
- Mauritania (introduced)
- Mauritius (introduced)
- Mozambique (introduced)
- Myanmar (introduced)
- Nansei-shoto (introduced)
- Nauru (introduced)
- Nepal (introduced)
- Nicobar Is. (introduced)
- Niger (introduced)
- Nigeria (introduced)
- Palestine (introduced)
- Saudi Arabia (introduced)
- Senegal (introduced)
- Seychelles (introduced)
- Sierra Leone (introduced)
- Society Is. (introduced)
- Sri Lanka (introduced)
- Sudan (introduced)
- Taiwan (introduced)
- Tanzania (introduced)
- Thailand (introduced)
- Togo (introduced)
- Uganda (introduced)
- Vietnam (introduced)
- West Himalaya (introduced)
- Yemen (introduced)
- Zambia (introduced)
- Zaïre (introduced)
Additional Images
Fruit
Taken Jan 17, 2020 by Rajendra Rajendra Choure (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 10, 2022 by Jacek Zielezinski (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 13, 2022 by Blue Bottle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 24, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 9, 2022 by Anindya Chaudhuri (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Nov 5, 2020 by Thk Niung Aaa Kaa (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 15, 2021 by cecile MAHE (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 25, 2022 by Apiano Ferreira de Morais Neto (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2022 by bikash singh (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 3, 2022 by Tumpa Tumpa (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Nov 17, 2021 by SORIANO DE ANDRADE EGMON (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 21, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 21, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 21, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 25, 2022 by Apiano Ferreira de Morais Neto (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Oct 13, 2022 by Blue Bottle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 21, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 21, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 21, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 9, 2020 by nrn Nifo (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Jan 7, 2022 by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 11, 2022 by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 9, 2022 by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 14, 2019 by Quyền Nguyễn Hùng (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – J. González (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – J. González (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – J. González (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken May 6, 2010 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken May 6, 2010 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-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/3171787)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:230902-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Scoparia dulcis L.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Forb/herb, Subshrub