Spermacoce chaetocephala

Family: Rubiaceae

What it is like

An erect annual herb. It grows 10-60 cm high. The stems are 4 angled. The leaf blades are 3-6 cm long by 3-8 mm wide. They are narrowly sword shaped. The fruit is a capsule 2.5 mm long. The seeds are brown and shiny. They are 2 mm long by 1 mm wide.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in bushland and grassland between 690-1,170 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burkina Faso, East Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Borreria compacta (Hiern) K. Schum.;