CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

NEERI Biodiversity Portal

Easy access to campus Biodiversity...

Facilitates Learning & Sharing Knowledge of Biodiversity on a Click

NBP was inaugurated by Dr. M.S. Ladania, Director, NRCC Nagpur on 8 April 2015

STICKY SPIDER-FLOWER

Cleome viscosa L.

Botanical name	: Cleome viscosa L.
Common Name	: Sticky spider-flower
Family	: Capparaceae
Synonym	: Cleome icosandra
About	: The plant is terrestrial, annual, erect, aromatic (fetid smell) herb, up to 120 cm tall. Taproots white or brown. Stem erect, rounded, solid, hairy. Stipules absent. Leaves compound, trifoliolate, alternate spiral, stalked, leaflets elliptic, (glandular) hairy on both side, margin, entire, apex acute, base acute, pinnately veined. Flowers bisexual, single, axillary, stalked, yellow, petals 4, free. Flowering and fruiting appears in March-July. Fruits a capsule, opening by two valves. Sticky spider-flower comprises of seeds which is 1 mm thick, reddish brown, cleft narrow. The whole herb is rubbed on the body against rheumatism. Leaf decoction is used for eyesore. In Australia, the aerial parts are used for respiratory tract infections and infected wounds.