Boerhavia diffusa L., it is a perennial herb with procumbent diffuse or ascending stem and woody rootstock. Stems 10-70 (-90) cm, with branches reddish, glabrous below and pubescent or hirsute above. Leaves opposite, unequal or rarely equal, ovate or oblong to subcordate, upper ones usually smaller, narrow oblong to subcordate, entire, undulate at the margin, the smaller one sometimes clustered in the axils, often whitish beneath, acute or acuminate, ventral veins prominent, puberulous. Bracts and bracteoles small lanceolate, acute or acuminate, puberulous. Flowers small, 2.5-3.5 mm long, sessile or sub sessile, in head or umbel of 3-5 flowers on filiform peduncles ± branched into diffuse axillary or terminal compound umbels or panicles. Perianth campanulate, pinkish-mauve, as long as or longer than the lower half, deciduous, 3 x 0.7-1 mm, limb 1.7-2 x 3.5 mm, deciduous. Stamens (1-) 2, inserted in a narrow cup-shaped toothed disc adnate to the ribs of the ovary, which as well as the ovary is entirely enclosed in the anthocarp, filaments ± as long as or longer than the perianth. Anthocarp 3-3.5 (-4) x 1-1.5 mm, oblong, clavate-turbinate, short, dense, glandular-muricate when dry, becoming enveloped in mucilage when wet. Life Form: Ch , Flowering in: Almost the year, Vern:—————–, Phytochoria: Pal, The native range of this species is Tropics & Subtropics. Notes: Wild in Libya, medicinal plant.
For more information: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:326899-2, https://www.ipni.org/n/326899-2, https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000567916, https://www.gbif.org/species/3086282, https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/175381/boerhavia-diffusa-l, https://www.botswanaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=122630, https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.1079/cabicompendium.9460, https://portal.wiktrop.org/species/show/37, https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Boerhavia+diffusa |
Distribution in Libya | |
Ghat area | Jabal Al-Uwinat |
Ghat (Esin region) 2004 Wadi Tanezzuft 2012 | Gebel Uweinat 1968 Wadi Karkour, Gebel Arkenu, (40 km) N.W. Gebel Uweinat 1979 Jabal Al-Uweinat region 2008 |
Bibliographic references: | |
First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan: | |
Jafri, S.M.H. & El-Gadi, A. (1980) Flora of Libya, Nyctaginaceae Vol. (80) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya. | |
Second: Researches and PhD theses, master theses, Sorted by Newest: | pdf files |
Mukassabi, T.A, Ahmidat, G., Sherif, I.M., ELMogasapi, A.(2012) Checklist and life forms of plant species in contrasting climatic zones of Libya. Biological Diversity and Conservation – 5 / 3 (2012) https://bit.ly/42hptsN, https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/biodicon/issue/55888/765799 | plant species in contrasting climatic zones of Libya 2012 |
Alzwai, A.M.H. (2008) A study of the vegetation covers of the Jabal Al-Uweinat region in Libya. Master Thesis – Botany Department – College of Science – Garyounis University – Libya. (In Arabic) | |
Ahmidat, Gh. (2004) Study of the vegetation cover of the area between the Acacus Mountains and the Tassili Mountains (Ghat). Master Thesis. Department of Botany.College of Science. Sebha University. Libya. (In Arabic) |