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13 January 2017

Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed)

Datasheet Types: Invasive species, Host plant

Abstract

This datasheet on Cyathula prostrata covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Biology & Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Natural Enemies, Impacts, Uses, Further Information.

Identity

Preferred Scientific Name
Cyathula prostrata (L.) Blume
Preferred Common Name
pasture weed
Other Scientific Names
Achyranthes pedicellata C.B. Clarke
Achyranthes protrata L.
Cyathula geniculata Lour.
Cyathula germinata Moq.
Cyathula pedicellata C.B. Clarke
Desmochaeta prostrata (L.) DC.
Pupalia atropurpurea Moq.
Pupalia prostrata (L.) Mart.
International Common Names
English
purple princess
Spanish
cucua macho
French
cyathule couchée
Local Common Names
Cambodia
ando ko
China
bei xian
Colombia
cadillo
Indonesia
rai-rai fofoheka
ranggitan
rumput jarang-jarang
Malaysia
keremak
menjarang
nyarang
Papua New Guinea
kinjan
Philippines
bakbak
dayang
tuhod-monok
Puerto Rico
cyatul
Thailand
yaa phaanghu daeng
yaa phaanngu lek

Pictures

Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); habit, at an altitude of 630-680 m. At the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, S Minca, Colombia. December 2017.
Habit
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); habit, at an altitude of 630-680 m. At the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, S Minca, Colombia. December 2017.
©Franz Xaver/via wikipedia - CC BY-SA 4.0
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); flower spike. At an altitude of 630-680 m. At the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, S Minca, Colombia. December 2017.
Flower spike
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); flower spike. At an altitude of 630-680 m. At the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, S Minca, Colombia. December 2017.
©Franz Xaver/via wikipedia - CC BY-SA 4.0
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); flowers. Shimoga, Karnataka, India. December 2012.
Flowers
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); flowers. Shimoga, Karnataka, India. December 2012.
©Dinesh Valke/via wikipedia CC BY-SA 2.0
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); flowering habit. India. November 2017.
Flowering habit
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); flowering habit. India. November 2017.
©Rison Thumboor/via wikipedia - CC BY 2.0
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); flowering habit. Kanakeshwar Forest, Maharashtra, India. November 2016.
Flowering habit
Cyathula prostrata (pasture weed); flowering habit. Kanakeshwar Forest, Maharashtra, India. November 2016.
©Dinesh Valke/via wikipedia CC BY-SA 2.0

Summary of Invasiveness

Cyathula prostrata is an annual to short-lived perennial herb native to Africa and Asia and some parts of Oceania, now found naturalized elsewhere in Oceania and in South and Central America. It grows as a weed in cultivated land, roadsides, grazing land, along seashores and in primary and secondary forests and is classed as an invasive species in a number of Pacific Islands.

Taxonomic Tree

This content is currently unavailable.

Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature

Cyathula is a genus in the Amaranthaceae that consists of about 25 species with a tropical distribution (Chuakul et al., 2001; World Flora Online, 2020). World Flora Online (2020) include two accepted varieties of C. prostrata: C. prostrata var. lancifolia and C. prostrata var. pedicellata.

Plant Type

Annual
Herbaceous
Perennial

Description

The following description is from Chuakul et al. (2001):
An annual to perennial herb, 30-50 cm tall, erect or ascending, rooting at the nodes, stem obtusely quadrangular, thickened above the nodes, often tinged with red, covered with patent, fine hairs. Leaves opposite, simple, rhomboid-obovate to rhomboid-oblong, 1.3-15 cm × 0.7-6.5 cm, base contracted or narrowed, rounded, apex triangular, acute to obtuse, entire, ciliate, margin or blade often tinged red; petiole short. Inflorescence an erect, elongated raceme, terminal and in highest leaf-axils, straight or sinuous, 18-33 cm long, rachis densely pubescent; peduncle 1-12 cm long; flowers in small clusters, in the lower part of the raceme distant, in the higher part crowded, pedicel short, erect before anthesis, reflexed in fruiting, bracts ovate, acuminate; lower clusters with 2-3 bisexual flowers and several sterile ones, with up to 20 red, hooked awns, towards the apex fewer sterile flowers, at apex only solitary bisexual flowers, ripe clusters falling off as a whole. Flowers small; tepals 5, free, in bisexual flowers ovate-oblong, 2.5-3 mm long, strongly mucronate, dull pale green, glabrous within, externally clothed with patent long, white hairs, tepals of sterile flowers 1.7-2.5 mm long, sessile; stamens 5, filaments connate at base, free parts 1 mm long, anthers two-celled, pseudo-staminodes rectangular-cuneate, apex truncate; ovary superior, obovoid, one-celled, funicle short, style filiform, stigma capitellate. Fruit an ellipsoid utricle, 1.5-2 mm long, thin-walled, glabrous, one-seeded, surrounded by stiff perianth. Seed ovoid or ellipsoidal, 1-1.5 mm long, shiny brown. Seedling with epigeal germination.

Distribution

Cyathula prostrata is native to Africa, Asia and Papua New Guinea, Palau, Timor-Leste and North-East Australia in Oceania. It now has a pantropical distribution after being introduced in other countries in Oceania and in Central and South America.

Distribution Map

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Distribution Table

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Pathway Causes

Pathway causeNotesLong distanceLocalReferences
Medicinal use (pathway cause)Widely used in traditional medicineYesYes

Habitat

Cyathula prostrata has a weedy habit and is found in forests, plantations, rough pastures, along roadsides and in wet areas such as by swamps and streams (Adams, 1972; PROTA, 2015; Useful Tropical Plants, 2020)

Habitat List

CategorySub categoryHabitatPresenceStatus
TerrestrialTerrestrial – ManagedCultivated / agricultural landPresent, no further detailsHarmful (pest or invasive)
TerrestrialTerrestrial – ManagedDisturbed areasPrincipal habitatNatural
TerrestrialTerrestrial – ManagedRail / roadsidesPrincipal habitatNatural
TerrestrialTerrestrial ‑ Natural / Semi-naturalWetlandsSecondary/tolerated habitatNatural

Biology and Ecology

Genetics

The chromosome number of C. prostrata is 2n=48 (Chuakul et al., 2001)

Reproductive biology

The flowers of C. prostrata are pollinated by bees and wind (Useful Tropical Plants, 2020).

Physiology and phenology

Flowers from January to March and from June to July (Adams, 1972).

Environmental requirements

Cyathula prostrata prefers loamy and sandy soils (Useful Tropical Plants, 2020) and light to dense shade from sea-level up to 1650 m altitude (Chuakul et al., 2001; PROTA, 2015).

Climate

Climate typeDescriptionPreferred or toleratedRemarks
Af - Tropical rainforest climate> 60mm precipitation per monthPreferred 
Am - Tropical monsoon climateTropical monsoon climate ( < 60mm precipitation driest month but > (100 - [total annual precipitation(mm}/25]))Preferred 
As - Tropical savanna climate with dry summer< 60mm precipitation driest month (in summer) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25])Tolerated 
Aw - Tropical wet and dry savanna climate< 60mm precipitation driest month (in winter) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25])Tolerated 

List of Pests

This content is currently unavailable.

Natural enemies

Natural enemyTypeLife stagesSpecificityReferencesBiological control inBiological control on
Ferrisia virgata (striped mealybug)Parasite
Other/All Stages
not specific   

Impact Summary

CategoryImpact
Human healthPositive

Impact: Economic

Cyathula prostrata has been reported as a weed in cocoa and rubber plantations (PROTA, 2015)

Risk and Impact Factors

Invasiveness

Proved invasive outside its native range
Has a broad native range
Abundant in its native range
Pioneering in disturbed areas
Fast growing
Reproduces asexually

Likelihood of entry/control

Highly likely to be transported internationally accidentally

Uses

Social benefit

The following summary of medicinal and social uses is from PROTA (2015):
"In Peninsular Malaysia, C. prostrata is used internally and externally. The aerial parts in decoction are drunk against cough, and a decoction of the roots is used against dysentery. As a plaster, it is used for caterpillar itch, around the neck for cough and on the belly for intestinal worms or shingles. In Indonesia, the leaves mashed with water are a remedy for cholera, and an infusion of the whole plant is taken for fever and dysentery. In Papua New Guinea, the juice of the stem is used as an abortifacient. In Sierra Leone, the roots are used for this purpose. In the Philippines and Guinea, the ash of the burnt plant mixed with water is rubbed on the body for scabies and other skin ailments. In Thailand, the stem in decoction is taken as a diuretic and to increase menstrual discharge; the leaves are used for irritations of the throat; the flowers as an expectorant; and the roots against abnormal and frequent urination. In Vietnam, the roots in decoction are commonly drunk for colds and cough. In Indo-China, the same preparation is used for rheumatism and dropsy. In China, the stem and leaves are used as a mild laxative. In Taiwan, a decoction of the leaves is applied to snakebites. Throughout Africa, the plant is used to treat dysentery. In Cameroon, the plant is prescribed for articular rheumatism. In Cote d'Ivoire, the sap of the plant is used as ear drops for otitis and for headache, and the pulped plant is used on sores, burns and fractures, as a haemostatic and cicatrizant. In Gabon and Congo (Brazzaville), the leaves are eaten as a vegetable."

Uses List

Medicinal, pharmaceutical > Source of medicine/pharmaceutical
Human food and beverage > Vegetable

Links to Websites

NameURLComment
GISD/IASPMR: Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource and DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gatewayhttps://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m93f6Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list.

References

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P., Strong, M. T., 2012. Catalogue of the Seed Plants of the West Indies.Washington, DC, USA: Smithsonian Institution. 1192 pp. http://botany.si.edu/Antilles/WestIndies/catalog.htm
Adams, C. D., 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica. Mona, Jamaica: University of the West Indies. 848 pp.
Broome, R., Sabir, K., Carrington, S., 2007. Plants of the Eastern Caribbean. Online database. In: Plants of the Eastern Caribbean. Online database.Barbados: University of the West Indies. http://ecflora.cavehill.uwi.edu/index.html
Burkill, H. M., 1995. The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vols. 1-3, 2. ed.Richmond, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 976 ; 648 ; 868 pp.
Chuakul, W, Soonthornchareonnon, N, Ruangsomboon, O, 2001. Cyathula prostrata (L.) Blume [Internet] record. Bogor, Indonesia: PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation. http://www.proseanet.org
Ibrahim, B., Sowemimo, A., Rooyen, A. van, Venter, M. van de, 2012. Antiinflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant activities of Cyathula prostrata (Linn.) Blume (Amaranthaceae).Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 141(1) 282-289.
Liogier, H. A., Martorell, L. F., 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis. Río Piedras, Puerto Rico: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico.
Lorence, D. H., Flynn, T., 2010. Checklist of the plants of Kosrae. In: Checklist of the plants of Kosrae.Lawai, Hawaii, USA: National Tropical Botanical Garden. 26 pp.
PROTA, 2015. PROTA4U web database. [ed. by Grubben, GJH, Denton, OA]. Wageningen, Netherlands: Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. http://www.prota4u.info
Setchell, W. A., 1924. American Samoa. Part 1. Vegetation of Tutuila Island. Part 2. Ethnobotany of the Samoans. Part 3. Vegetation of Rose Atoll. 318 pp.
Smith, A. C., 1981. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji (spermatophytes only). Volume 2. In: Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji (spermatophytes only). Volume 2.Kauai, Hawaii, USA: Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden. 818 pp.
Sowemimo, A. A., Venter, M. van de, Baatjies, L., Koekemoer, T., 2009. Cytotoxic activity of selected Nigerian plants.African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 6(4) 526-528. http://journals.sfu.ca/africanem/index.php/ajtcam/article/view/542
USDA-ARS, 2015. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online Database.Beltsville, Maryland, USA: National Germplasm Resources Laboratory. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx
Useful Tropical Plants, 2020. Useful tropical plants database. In: Useful tropical plants database. K Fern. http://tropical.theferns.info/
World Flora Online, 2020. World Flora Online. In: World Flora Online. World Flora Online Consortium. http://www.worldfloraonline.org

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Published online: 13 January 2017

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