Burweed, Chinese burr
Triumfetta rhomboidea

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A herb or small shrub. It keeps growing from year to year. Plants can be 1.5 m high. The bark is tough and fibrous. The younger stems and leaves and flowers are covered densely with hairs. The leaves are alternate and the edges of the leaves have teeth. The lower leaves have 3 lobes. The flowers occur in small clusters opposite the axils of leaves. The stalks carrying the flowers are 20-40 cm long. There are 5 yellow petals. The fruit are brown and hairy and covered with hooked spines. The fruit are round and about 5 mm across. They contain 2-4 seeds. The fruit cling to clothing.

There are about 150 Triumfetta species. They are mostly in the tropics and subtropics. It has also been put in the family Sparmanniaceae. It may eventually be put in the family Malvaceae. These have also been in the family Tiliaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows naturally in grassland and re-growth situations. It is more common in tropical places with seasonal rainfall. It grows in savannah woodland and in palm groves. It grows between 5-1,280 m above sea level. In Ethiopia it grows between 400-2,750 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, American Samoa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, China, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba (country/location of origin), Dominican Republic, East Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Lesser Antilles, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Marquesas, Mauritius, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Caledonia, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Reunion, Rotuma, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Sudan, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Uganda, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked as a vegetable. The roots are eaten cooked.

Famine food

Edible parts

Leaves, roots, stem, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Adik, Agra, Banokra, Barrule, Bhora, Bojoramuli, Burbush, Champadang, Chikti, Chirusitorika, Chitenso, Churukuny, Dzunzo, Jhinjharita, Jhinjhira, Jhipato, Jotojuti, Kadubende, Kasni, Katsine-galay, Klitsbossia, Mautofu, Mulembu, Ottupullu, Pulut-pulut, Pungpurutan, Puramutti, Seng, Sukupan, Tiam, Tsembanhe, Weeo, Wiyo

Synonyms

Bartramia indica L.; Triumfetta angulata Lam.; Triumfetta bartramia L.; Triumfetta riparia Hochst.; Triumfetta trilocularis Roxb.; Triumfetta velutina Vahl;