devil's thorn

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• devil's thorn
• goathead
• land caltrop
• puncture vine
• Small Caltrops
• Burnut
• caltrop
• cat's-head
• common dubbletjie
• devil's-thorn
• devil's-weed
• goat's-head
• tribulus
• Annual Devilthorn
• Common Devilthorn
• Common Dubbeltjie
• Devil Thorn
• Deviltjies
• Goatshead
• bindii
• bullhead
• cat's head
• goat's head
• goatheads
• Small caltrop

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It further falls under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Zygophyllales, eventually placing it in the family Zygophyllaceae. Within this hierarchy, the medicinal species is identified under the genus Tribulus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several regions of Europe. In Middle Europe, its presence is well-documented in countries such as Austria and Germany. It can also be found extending through the territories of Czechia-Slovakia and Hungary. Furthermore, the species reaches into Southwestern Europe, specifically inhabiting the Baleares. This widespread occurrence highlights the adaptability of the species across different European climates.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Tribulus terrestris is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse and often disturbed environments. It thrives in a wide variety of habitats, including crop fields, dumps, riverbanks, ruderal sites, sandy areas, and stony places, demonstrating a high tolerance for nutrient-poor or disturbed soils. This species exhibits a broad vertical distribution across various landscapes, with an elevational range that begins at sea level (0 m AMSL) and extends up to a maximum of 3,600 m AMSL. On average, the plant is found at an elevation of approximately 1,800 m AMSL, illustrating its ability to colonize both lowland coastal regions and high-altitude mountainous terrain.

Elevational range max:

3600 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, dump, rivers, ruderal sites, sand, stony places

Life history

The life history of Tribulus terrestris is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning it completes its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, the plant survives harsh conditions by spending its non-growing periods as seeds, which allows it to thrive in disturbed or ephemeral environments. Its growth pattern is classified as a cryptophyte, emphasizing its strategy of protecting its regenerative parts during unfavorable periods. Additionally, the plant exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage as it completes its seasonal cycle, ultimately relying on its hardy seed bank to ensure the continuation of the species in subsequent years.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

therophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Tribulus terrestris is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. This terrestrial, independent plant exhibits a prostrate shoot orientation, spreading across the ground rather than growing vertically. It is a self-supporting species that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, nor does it act as an epiphyte or parasite. In terms of dimensions, the plant typically reaches a maximum height of approximately 0.6 m, with a mean height of 0.6 m and a minimum height of 0 m, indicating its tendency to remain low to the substrate. The shoots are relatively extensive, with a maximum shoot length reaching up to 80 cm.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0 m

Shoot length max:

80 cm

Shoot orientation :

prostrate

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tribulus terrestris is characterized by a specialized photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the C4 mechanism to optimize carbon fixation and enhance efficiency in high-temperature or arid environments. The vegetative structure features an opposite leaf arrangement, where the individual leaves exhibit an ovate-lanceolate form with finely toothed margins. Morphologically, the leaves are relatively small, maintaining a length ranging from a minimum of 0.4 cm to a maximum of 1.2 cm, and a width spanning from 0.2 cm to 0.4 cm. Notably, the foliage is smooth in texture, as the plant possesses no leaf thorns and no leaf spines. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying on external soil nutrient availability for its metabolic processes.

Leaf arrangement :

opposite

Leaf form :

ovate-lanceolate

Leaf length max:

1.2 cm

Leaf length min:

0.4 cm

Leaf margin :

finely toothed

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width max:

0.4 cm

Leaf width min:

0.2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C4

Reproduction

The reproduction of Tribulus terrestris is characterized by a bisexual sexual reproductive system, ensuring that individual flowers possess both male and female organs. The flowering period is extensive, typically beginning in April and continuing through October, though it can be variable throughout the year. During this time, the plant produces yellow flowers that range in length from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 1.4 cm. The pollination process is driven by biotic factors, specifically utilizing an insect-based pollination syndrome with bees acting as primary pollinators. Once fertilization occurs, the plant develops dry fruits containing seeds. These seeds exhibit a mean mass of approximately 0.0217 g, with individual seed weights ranging from a minimum of 0.0013 g to a maximum of 0.039453 g. The seed volume is consistent, measured at a mean and range of 22 mm³. For the dispersal of these seeds, the plant employs a zoochorous syndrome, relying on animals to aid in the spread of its progeny.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower length max:

1.4 cm

Flower length min:

1 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit dryness :

dry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.039453 g

Seed mass mean:

0.021744286 g

Seed mass min:

0.0013 g

Seed volume max:

22 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tribulus terrestris has 5 reported plant parts identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, leaf, root, seed, stem.

Fruit

1. Natural product research
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
5. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Leaf

1. Natural product research
2. Clinical therapeutics
3. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Microbial pathogenesis
5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Root

1. Natural product research
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP

Seed

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Stem

1. Natural product research

Chemicals

Tribulus terrestris has 90 reported phytochemicals identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Saponins, Flavonoids, DIOSGENIN, quercetin, RUTIN.

Saponins

1. Natural product research
2. Histology and histopathology
3. Journal of dietary supplements
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Flavonoids

1. Natural product research
2. Journal of dietary supplements
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Biotechnology, biotechnological equipment
5. Frontiers in pharmacology

DIOSGENIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. Gene
4. Pharmaceutical biology

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Pharmaceutical biology

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. Pharmaceutical biology

kaempferol

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoid

1. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Gallic acid

1. BMC plant biology
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Glycosides

1. Journal of dietary supplements
2. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents

HARMINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatographic science

Activities

Tribulus terrestris has 386 reported activities identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, Analgesic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Biomedical chromatography : BMC
5. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Natural product research
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Life (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimicrobial

1. Die Pharmazie
2. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. Gene

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Die Pharmazie
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
4. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Heliyon
3. Galen medical journal

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Heliyon

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Life (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Heliyon

Aphrodisiac

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
3. Heliyon

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society
3. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents
3. Heliyon

Medicinal Uses

Tribulus terrestris has 64 reported medicinal uses identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include hypertension, antioxidant, erectile dysfunction, Alzheimer's disease, blood pressure.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations