Prostrate pastureweed, Prostrate burr-amaranth
Cyathula prostata

Family: Amaranthaceae

What it is like

A herb which continues to grow from year to year. It can be upright or hanging over. It often lies along the ground. It grows up to 50-100 cm tall. The stem is slender, stiff and brittle. The stem is tinged red. It has many branches. These are thickened and often form roots at the nodes. The leaves are 1.5-10 cm long by 1-5 cm wide. They are narrowed below the middle. The leaf stalk is 2-12 mm long so the leaves appear to be attached directly to the stalk. The leaves often have red hairs underneath and near the veins. The flowers are mostly in one stalk. These arise from the axils of the upper leaves. These flower arrangements are 5-25 cm long. Along it the flowers are in clusters with 1-3 fertile flowers and some sterile ones. The fruit or seed is oval and about 1.5 mm long and shiny brown. The flower clusters have small hooks and these attach to things moving the seeds around.

It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It occurs throughout the tropics. In Papua New Guinea the plant occurs between sea level and 1,200 m. Sometimes it grows up to 2,000 m. It grows in moist shady places. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, American Samoa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, China, Congo DR, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, East Africa, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Marquesas, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Northeastern India, Pacific, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rotuma, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Solomon Islands, South America, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are mostly self sown from seed. They can be grown from cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Anghup merah, Bayam pasir, Bayam rusa, Bululu, Chaine d'enfant, Cherukadaladi, Cuocdai, Ekur kuching, Hamac de la biche, Jarang-jarang, Linilini Kyet-mauk-pyan, Menjarang, Nyarang puteh, Nyarang, Penjarang ayam, Penjarang, Rumput dayang, Senjarang, Temeku

Synonyms

Achyranthes prostrata L.; Cyathula geniculata auct. non Lour.; Cyathula pedicellata C. B. Clarke; Desmochaeta prostrata (Linnaeus) De Candolle; Pupalia prostrata (Linnaeus) C. Martius;