Cleome gynandra
African cabbage
Cleome gynandra, commonly known as spider plant, is a nutritious leafy vegetable widely cultivated across Africa and Asia. Renowned for its exceptional medicinal properties, it is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This resilient plant is traditionally used to treat various ailments, including inflammation, anemia, and digestive disorders.
- Scientific name: Cleome gynandra
- Family: Cleomaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Brassicales and the family Cleomaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Cleome.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Brassicales | WCVP |
| Family | Cleomaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Cleome | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, Cleome gynandra, is known by various common names across different languages and regions. In Odia, it is referred to as ଅଜଗନ୍ଧା, while in Malay, it is called Maman hantu. In Vietnamese, the plant is known as Màn màn, and in Chinese, it is identified as 白花菜. Additionally, in Tamil, it is widely recognized as நிலவேளை.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| or | ଅଜଗନ୍ଧା | Wikidata |
| ms | Maman hantu | Wikidata |
| vi | Màn màn | Wikidata |
| zh | 白花菜 | Wikidata |
| ta | நிலவேளை | Wikidata |
| ar | ذفرة زنمردية | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 白花菜 | Wikidata |
| th | ผักเสี้ยน | Wikidata |
| lzh | 白花菜 | Wikidata |
| sw | Mgagani | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution spanning across several continents and diverse climatic regions. In Southwestern Europe, it can be found growing in Spain. Its presence extends into Northern Africa, specifically within the territories of Egypt and Libya. Additionally, the species is located in the Macaronesian region, notably in Cape Verde. Finally, its range reaches West Tropical Africa, where it is documented in Benin.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Europe | Spain | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Egypt | WCVP |
| Northern Africa | Libya | WCVP |
| Macaronesia | Cape Verde | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known scientifically as Cleome gynandra, offers various components that can be utilized for medicinal and nutritional purposes. While the whole plant excluding seeds is often studied for its diverse phytochemical properties, specific parts serve distinct roles in traditional practices. The stem and root contain essential bioactive compounds, while the mannan leaf and the plant when consumed as a leafy vegetable are highly valued for their significant nutritional content and health benefits.- Total parts
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plant excluding seeds | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| root | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| maman leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leafy vegetable | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Cleome gynandra has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, ascorbic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| calcium | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| iron | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| potassium | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| zinc | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ascorbic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aspartate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| magnesium | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| manganese | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| nitrogen | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Cleome gynandra has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include burns, cancer, fungal diseases, malaria, ringworm.
- Total uses
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| burns | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fungal diseases | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| malaria | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ringworm | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tinea versicolor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| vitiligo | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |