Spider plant
Cleoserrata speciosa

Family: Cleomaceae

What it is like

A herb up to 1.5 m tall. The lower leaves are 6 pointed and like fingers on a hand. The flowers are white, pink or purple. The flowers are on an erect spike. It is covered with small leaflets. The fruit are seed pods which hang from long stems.

There are about 150 Cleome species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is often along streams and grows up to 1,800 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Central America, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ethiopia, Fiji, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indochina, Jamaica, Mexico, Myanmar, North America, Pacific, Peru, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, South Africa, South America (country/location of origin), Southern Africa, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Indies

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and used as a pot-herb.

It is highly palatable.

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Bee plant, Lerotho, Pak-sian-farang

Synonyms

Cleome gigantea Blanco; Cleome longifolia Willd. ex Schult. & Schult.f.; Cleome speciosa Raf.; Cleome speciosa Kunth [Illegitimate]; Cleome speciosissima Deppe ex Lindl.; Gynandropsis pentaphylla Blanco; Gynandropsis speciosa (Kunth) DC.;