Sticky Cleome, Asian spiderflower
Cleome viscosa

Family: Cleomaceae

What it is like

An erect annual herb. It is sticky. It has a rank smell and is about 0.3 to 1 m high. The leaves are made up of 3 to 5 leaflets each 1 to 3 cm long. The flowers are in leafy groups at the end of branches. The flowering shoots are 5-10 cm long. The flower stalks are less than 1 cm long. The petals are yellow and 7 to 8 mm long. The fruit is a capsule 3-10 cm long by 2-4 mm wide. It has ridges along it. It partly splits open. It is narrow. It narrows and gradually tapers near the tip. The stems and seed pods are hairy. The seeds are round, black and 1 mm across. There are 25-40 seeds. They are light brown and 1.2-1.8 mm long by 1-1.2 mm wide. They have fine ridges.

There are about 150 Cleome species. Chemical composition (per 100g) (leaves, raw): Protein = 5.5g. Fat = .9g. Calcium - 454 mg. Iron = 2.7 mg. Kcal = 57. The seeds are rich in oil (26%). They are also used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. They are found in waste places at low and medium altitudes throughout the Philippines. In Nepal it grows up to 1200 m altitude. It is damaged by drought and frost. It grows in wetlands. It can grow in arid places. It restricts the germination and growth of Pearl millet. In central China it grows from sea level to 300 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Antigua-Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central America, Chad, China, Comoros, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marquesas, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Middle East, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Sahel, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, South America, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Tuvalu, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen

How it is used for food

The leaves are edible cooked. The young fruit are eaten candied. Roasted seeds are used in curries and pickles. Seed oil is used for cooking. The seeds are dried and ground and used as a vegetable. The leaves are soaked, fermented and used as a spice.

It is a minor leaf vegetable but becoming more popular as a seed condiment.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, seeds, oil, vegetable, spice

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

In China plants flower July to September and fruit in October.

Its other names

Local names

Bana-sorisha, Ban tori, Ganeragapa, Gant-galar, Huang hua cao, Huhul, Hulaga, Hulchul, Hulhul, Hurhura, Hurhure, Hushur, Kawal, Mangmang trin, Marang churamani, Momienh khma'ch, Mustard bush, Naikkadugu, Nal sirio, Namkani, Pak-sian-pee, Pingu-pan, Pivli-tilwan, Raa-beberi, Raa-beburi, Sirioarkho, Son tien, Swibhama, Tick weed, Tilwani, Tori jhar, Ujla hulhul, Yellow cleome

Synonyms

Arivela viscosa (L.) Raf.; Cleome acutifolia Elmer; Cleome icosandra L.; Polanisia icosandra (L.f.) Wight & Arn.; Polanisia viscosa (L.) DC.; Sinapistrum viscosum (L.) Moench;