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12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2

Achyranthes aspera L.

This article should be read together with the article on the genus: Achyranthes in the Handbook volume indicated above in this database.

Sp. pl. 1: 204 (1753).

Achyranthes obtusifolia Lamk (1785), Achyranthes canescens R.Br. (1810), Achyranthes argentea Decne (1834).

Prickly chaff flower (En). Indonesia: jarong (Javanese), jarong lalaki (Sundanese), sangko hidung (Moluccas). Malaysia: ara songsang, nyarang sunsang. Papua New Guinea: towano (North Bougainville). Philippines: hangod (Tagalog), higad-higad (Iloko), saramat (Bisaya). Thailand: khuai nguu, phan nguu (central), yaa teen nguu khaao (Bangkok). Laos: khoy ngou. Vietnam: c[or] x[uw][ows]c.

Throughout the Old World tropics, including Malesia and Australia, and introduced into tropical America.

The root, seeds or whole plant are widely used for medicinal purposes. The leaves are applied to wounds, and to mature abscesses and boils. A decoction of the root is drunk for rheumatism, stomach-ache, menstruation pains, absence of menstruation or as an abortifacient. The sap from the plant is taken for dysentery and rheumatism. In Papua New Guinea, the leaves or roots are applied on boils and swollen legs. In Thailand, the roots are used as an anti-inflammatory and a diuretic.

A variable, annual to perennial herb, 30—120 cm tall, stem angular, ribbed, stiff, nodes thickened, variably pubescent, reddish-brown; leaves ovate-obovate or elliptical-oblong, 1—10 cm x 1—5 cm, base attenuate, apex obtuse or acute, glabrous to densely hairy, petiole 5—15 mm long; spike terminal and axillary, 10—75 cm long, including peduncle 0.5—15 cm long, rachis stiff, ribbed, more or less densely white hairy, bracts ovate, 2—3.5 mm long, apex acuminate, not pungent, silvery, bracteoles ovate, spines 2.5—4.5 mm long, sharp, basal wing adnate to spine, easily detaching, 1—2 mm long; tepals ovate-lanceolate, 3.5—6.5 mm long, 3-veined, green, pungent in fruit, pseudo-staminodes with a fimbriate scale; utricle oblong, about 3 mm long, dark brown. Achyranthes aspera occurs as a ruderal often in sunny, dry localities, in regions with a well defined rainy season, along roadsides and in waste places, from sea-level up to 2500 m altitude.

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J. Raymakers & G.H. Schmelzer

Raymakers, J. & Schmelzer, G.H., 2001. Achyranthes aspera L.. In: van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. and Bunyapraphatsara, N. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea