Boerhavia erecta L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Nr Umvumvumvu R Br. by Mutare to Birchenough Br. rd

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road from entrance gate to Chitengo, Gorongosa National Park.

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
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Description:	Spreading annual or perennial herb. Stems prostrate, decumbent or ascending, glabrescent but with longer hairs, particularly at the nodes. Leaves ovate, often with distinct reddish brown glandular dots. Inflorescences terminal, shortly branched. Flowers usually in clusters of 2-5, white, pink, mauve or magenta. Stamens and style c. 2 mm, slightly exerted. Fruits 3-4 mm, turbinate with a flattened apex, not glandular, glabrous. See B. diffusa for comparison.
Type location:	Mexico
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	erecta: erect (but the meaning is not clear as the plant is usually ascending or prostrate)
Habitat:	A weed of disturbed places.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1100 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Pantropical
National distribution:	C,E,S
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	E,Lk,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Saturday 14 April 2012
Literature:	Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 64. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 89. Stannard, B.L. (1988). Nyctaginaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(1) Pages 21 - 23. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Boerhavia erecta:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Boerhavia erecta
Flora of Burundi: Boerhavia erecta
Flora of Malawi: Boerhavia erecta
Flora of Mozambique: Boerhavia erecta
Flora of Zimbabwe: Boerhavia erecta

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Boerhavia erecta
African Plant Database: Boerhavia erecta
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Boerhavia erecta
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Boerhavia erecta
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Boerhavia erecta
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Boerhavia erecta
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Boerhavia erecta
JSTOR Plant Science: Boerhavia erecta
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Boerhavia erecta
Plants of the World Online: Boerhavia erecta
Tropicos: Boerhavia erecta
Wikipedia: Boerhavia erecta