Cyathula prostrata, the prostrate pastureweed, is a perennial, prostrate, herbaceous plant distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical world.
Etymology and names Etymology Cyathula: sy-ATH-uh-la - small cup. prostrata: prost-RAY-tuh - prostrate.
Names
, ರಕ್ತಪಮರ್ಗ (raktapamarga)
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Distribution and habitat Native range Africa: Benin, Burkina, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gulf of Guinea Is., Zaïre, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar. Asia-Temperate: China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, Taiwan. Asia-Tropical: Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Islands, Peninsular Malaysia, Maluku, Philippines, Singapore, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, Solomon Is. Pacific: Caroline Islands, Samoa. Source:
Introduced range Bolivia, Caroline Is., Cook Is., French Guiana, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Marquesas, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Seychelles, Society Is., Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Tubuai Is., Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is.
Description Habit : Perennial, prostrate herbs. Leaves : Opposite, rhomboid, acute at both ends, thinly pubescent; petiolate. Inflorescence : Spike terminal, slender, solitary or in group of three. Flowers : In groups of 3-5 of which one perfect and others neuter; bracts and bracteoles similar, lanceolate, acuminate, pubescent; tepals 5, free, elliptic, acute, hooked awn like in neutor flowers. Androecium : Stamens 5, filaments united into a membranous truncate cup; staminodes membranous, alternate with stamens, fimbriate. Gynoecium : Ovary ovoid, style simple, stigma capitellate. Fruits : Achenes, obovoid, compressed, golden brown. Flowering and fruiting : September-April.India Biodiversity Portal
Varieties Cyathula prostrata var. prostrata Cyathula prostrata var. lancifolia - Philippines. Cyathula prostrata var. pedicellata - Tropical Africa.
Uses and ecology The plant is locally used as a medicine but also as a food and source of soap.Useful Tropical Plants It is also recorded as a larval host plant of Fulvous Pied Flat butterfly.Butterflies of India
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