Cleome spinosa

Cleome spinosa, commonly known as Spider Flower, is a versatile medicinal plant valued in traditional healing. Characterized by its delicate blooms and spiny stems, it possesses diverse bioactive properties. Often utilized to treat skin ailments and inflammation, this plant offers significant pharmacological potential for modern therapeutic applications and wellness.

  • Scientific name: Cleome spinosa
  • Family: Cleomaceae
  • Native range: Africa

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known as Cleome spinosa, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Brassicales. It is further classified within the family Cleomaceae and 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, known scientifically as Cleome spinosa, is recognized by various regional names across different languages. In Chinese, it is referred to as 醉蝶花 in Simplified Chinese (zh-hans), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and the Hong Kong dialect (zh-hk). In German, the species is commonly called Spinnenblume, while in Czech, it is known as luštěnice trnitá.
Language Common Name Source
zh-hans 醉蝶花 Wikidata
zh-hant 醉蝶花 Wikidata
zh-hk 醉蝶花 Wikidata
de Spinnenblume Wikidata
cs luštěnice trnitá Wikidata
ko 풍접초 Wikidata
nl Kattensnor Wikidata
sv Paradisblomster Wikidata
zh 醉蝶花 Wikidata
war Tarenaya hassleriana Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across the tropical regions of the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented within Nigeria. Moving into West-Central Tropical Africa, the species can be found in Cameroon and Gabon. It also inhabits the vast territories of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Consequently, its range is concentrated primarily within these central and western tropical zones.

Region Area Source
West Tropical Africa Nigeria WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Cameroon WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Congo WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa Gabon WCVP
West-Central Tropical Africa DR Congo WCVP
South Tropical Africa Angola WCVP
Eastern Asia Korea WCVP
Indian Subcontinent India WCVP
Indian Subcontinent Nepal WCVP
Indo-China Vietnam WCVP

Plant Parts

This plant, commonly known as spider flower, possesses various components that are utilized for their therapeutic properties. The medicinal value is often concentrated within the leaf blades, which are characterized by their distinctive trifoliate structure. Furthermore, the various aerial portions of the plant, including the stems and flowers, are frequently harvested and processed for traditional remedies.
Total parts
2
Scientific sources
2
Plant Part Sources Confidence
leaf blades 1 ★☆☆☆☆
aerial portions 1 ★☆☆☆☆