All Species Plantae

Boerhavia erecta L. is a plant in the Nyctaginaceae family, order Caryophyllales, kingdom Plantae. Not known to be toxic.

Photo of Boerhavia erecta L. (Boerhavia erecta L.)
Plantae 🌿 Edible 💊 Medicinal

Boerhavia erecta L.

Boerhavia erecta L.

Boerhavia erecta L. is a perennial herb used as traditional medicine, food, and cattle forage in parts of Africa.

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Family
Genus
Boerhavia
Order
Caryophyllales
Class
Magnoliopsida
⚠️ Toxicity Note

Insufficient toxicity evidence; avoid direct contact and ingestion.

About Boerhavia erecta L.

Chromosome Number

Boerhavia erecta L. has a chromosome number of 2n=52.

Morphological Distinction

It is a perennial herb similar to Boerhavia diffusa, but can be distinguished by several features: its stems are straight, it bears white and pink flowers, and it produces obconic, glabrous fruit.

General Uses

This species is used in traditional medicine and as food.

Human Consumption

In West and East Africa, its leaves are eaten as a vegetable and added to sauces.

Livestock Forage

In the Sahel, cattle graze on its leaves.

Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by S.MORE · cc0

Taxonomy

Plantae Tracheophyta Magnoliopsida Caryophyllales Nyctaginaceae Boerhavia

More from Nyctaginaceae

Sources: GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, NCBI Taxonomy · Disclaimer

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