Asian spiderflower

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Sinapistrum viscosum
• Arivela viscosa
• Corynandra viscosa
• Polanisia viscosa

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Cleome viscosa, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Brassicales and the family Cleomaceae. Finally, it is placed in the genus Cleome.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several distinct regions. In Northern Africa, it can be found growing within the borders of Egypt. Its presence extends to Macaronesia, specifically inhabiting the islands of Cape Verde. Furthermore, the species is widely distributed throughout West Tropical Africa. Within this tropical zone, it is documented in Benin, Burkina, and Gambia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cleome viscosa is characterized by its ability to colonize diverse and often disturbed environments, ranging from sea level to significant upland altitudes. It thrives across a broad elevational gradient, with its distribution spanning from 0 m to a maximum of 1900 m AMSL. This species is frequently found occupying specialized ecological niches, such as rocky and sandy places, as well as roadside areas. In specific regional contexts, such as Zanzibar, it is also known to inhabit cultivated ground, demonstrating a high level of adaptability to both natural and anthropogenic landscapes.

Elevational range max:

1900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

rocky and sandy places, roadsides and cultivated ground (Zanzibar only)

Life history

The life history of Cleome viscosa is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning it completes its entire biological progression from seed germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, its life form is defined by its strategy of surviving unfavorable environmental conditions through highly resistant seeds, while the visible vegetative portion of the plant dies back completely at the end of its seasonal cycle.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Cleome viscosa is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, and it maintains an independent status as it is not a parasite. The plant is strictly terrestrial, lacking any epiphytic or aquatic tendencies. In terms of stature, it typically reaches a maximum height of 1.6 m, with a mean height of approximately 1.5 m, though its growth can range from a minimum of 0 m to its upper limit.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.6 m

Plant height mean:

1.5 m

Plant height min:

0 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cleome viscosa is characterized by its specific carbon assimilation and morphological adaptations. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway to convert light energy into chemical energy, which dictates its metabolic efficiency and water-use characteristics. Morphologically, its foliage displays significant variability in dimension, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 6 cm, while the leaf width fluctuates between 0.5 cm and 3 cm. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, relying instead on available soil nitrogen for its nutritional requirements.

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cleome viscosa is characterized by the production of small, distinct flowers that typically feature an orange coloration. These flowers vary in width, ranging from a minimum of 0.1 cm to a maximum of 0.4 cm. Following pollination, the plant develops fruit in the form of a capsule, which can reach a maximum length of 10 cm and a minimum length of 3 cm, while the width of the fruit ranges between 0.2 cm and 0.4 cm. Within these capsules, the seeds are produced with a length varying from 1.2 mm to 1.8 mm. The seed mass shows significant variability, with a mean mass of approximately 0.0018977085 g, a minimum mass of 0.00062 g, and a maximum mass of 0.018746 g. Dispersal of the seeds is facilitated through an anemochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are dispersed primarily by the wind.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

orange

Flower width max:

0.4 cm

Flower width min:

0.1 cm

Fruit length max:

10 cm

Fruit length min:

3 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

0.4 cm

Fruit width min:

0.2 cm

Seed length max:

1.8 mm

Seed length min:

1.2 mm

Seed mass max:

0.018746 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0018977085 g

Seed mass min:

0.00062 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cleome viscosa has 4 reported plant parts identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed, flower, root.

Leaf

1. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
2. Fitoterapia

Seed

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Chemical biology & drug design

Flower

1. Fitoterapia

Root

1. Journal of biosciences

Chemicals

Cleome viscosa has 17 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cleomiscosin A, Cleomiscosin B, Cleomiscosin C, acetone, methanol.

Cleomiscosin A

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Cleomiscosin B

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Cleomiscosin C

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
2. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences

acetone

1. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
2. Journal of environmental biology

methanol

1. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences
2. Journal of environmental biology

2-amino-9-(4-oxoazetidin-2-yl)-nonanoic acid

1. Journal of biosciences

Glucocapparin

1. Fitoterapia

Glucocleomin

1. Fitoterapia

HEXANE

1. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences

IMPERATORIN

1. Natural product research

Activities

Cleome viscosa has 10 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Allelopathic, Analgesic.

Antimicrobial

1. Journal of biosciences
2. Natural product research
3. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Antidiabetic

1. Natural product research
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Antioxidant

1. Natural product research
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Allelopathic

1. Journal of biosciences

Analgesic

1. Planta medica

Antibacterial

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Anticancer

1. Natural product research

Antihepatotoxic

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Antipyretic

1. Planta medica

Hepatoprotective

1. Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Conditions

Cleome viscosa has 22 reported investigations on conditions identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include malaria, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria.

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of environmental biology

Bacillus subtilis

1. Natural product research

Escherichia coli

1. Natural product research

Gram-negative bacteria

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Gram-positive bacteria

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Klebsiella pneumoniae

1. Natural product research

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Natural product research

Antidiabetic

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Antioxidant

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Burns

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Cleome viscosa has 17 reported preparations identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include acetone leaf extracts, aqueous residues, aqueous whole plant extract, benzene leaf extracts, different extracts of Cleome viscosa.

Acetone leaf extracts

1. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences

Aqueous residues

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous whole plant extract

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Benzene leaf extracts

1. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences

Different extracts of cleome viscosa

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Different extracts of cleome viscosa seeds

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Different extracts of the seeds of cleome viscosa

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

Ethanolic extracts of the flowers

1. Fitoterapia

Ethanolic extracts of the leaves

1. Fitoterapia

Ethanolic plant extracts

1. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet