Achyranthes aspera

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 204. 1753.

Illustrated
Synonyms: Centrostachys aspera (Linnaeus) Standley
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 436. Mentioned on page 435.

Plants perennial or annual. Stems 0.4–2 m, pilose or puberulent. Leaf-blades elliptic, ovate, or broadly ovate to orbiculate, obovate-orbiculate, or broadly rhombate, 1–20 × 2–6 cm, adpressed-pubescent abaxially and adaxially. Inflorescences to 30 cm; bracts membranous; bracteoles long-aristate, spinose; wings attached at sides and base. Flowers: tepals 4 or 5, length 3–7 mm; pseudostaminodes with margins fimbriate at apex, often with dorsal scale. Utricles ± cylindric, 2–4 mm, apex truncate or depressed.

Distribution

V4 854-distribution-map.gif

Ala., Fla., La., Md., S.C., Tex., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Eurasia, Africa

Discussion

Varieties 6 (2 in the flora).

Achyranthes aspera is a variable, pantropical species divided into six varieties (C. C. Townsend 1974), two of which occur in the flora. The variety with a long perianth and acuminate leaves has long been called var. aspera; the variety with a short perianth and blunt leaves, var. indica. However, A. Cavaco (1962) showed that the type of var. indica must be the type of the species A. aspera, thus var. indica is a homotypic synonym of var. aspera. Townsend made the combination A. aspera var. pubescens for plants previously called var. aspera.

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Leaf blades elliptic, ovate, or broadly ovate, apex acuminate; tepals 6-7 mm Achyranthes aspera var. pubescens
1 Leaf blades orbiculate, obovate-orbiculate, or broadly rhombate, apex rounded, apiculate; tepals 3-4 mm Achyranthes aspera var. aspera
... more about "Achyranthes aspera"
depressed;truncate +
Kenneth R. Robertson +
Linnaeus +
ovate +  and orbiculate or broadly rhombate +
membranous +
long-aristate +
Ala. +, Fla. +, La. +, Md. +, S.C. +, Tex. +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +, South America +, Eurasia +  and Africa +
peripheral +
spaced +  and crowded +
hypogynous +
minute +  and small +
indurate +  and coriaceous +
not +  and dehiscent +
many-flowered +  and pedunculate +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
adpressed-pubescent +
broadly ovate +  and orbiculate obovate-orbiculate or broadly rhombate +
fimbriate +
turbinate +  and obovoid +
few-branched +  and simple +
brown +, reddish-brown +  and black +
ovoid +  and obovoid +
Illustrated +
erect +  and ascending +
puberulent +  and pilose +
40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br /> (200 cm2,000 mm <br />2 m <br />) +
elongate +
Centrostachys aspera +
Achyranthes aspera +
Achyranthes +
species +
cylindric +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
membranous +
annual +  and perennial +