Cleome aculeata L.

Linnaeus, C. (1767) Systema Naturae Edn. 12 2: 232. Type: Habitat in America. D. Zaega.

Prickly Spider Flower

Erect annual herb up to 50 cm tall, with prickles on stem.

Leaves mostly trifoliolate with simple leaves or bracts produced below each flower. Leaflet blades 48-85 x 28-45 mm, leaflet stalks nil or 2-3 mm long. Stipules spiny, curved, 1-3 mm long.

Pedicels 20-30 mm long, flowers 10-12 mm diam. Calyx lobes about 3 mm long. Corolla lobes 6-7 mm long, clawed, i.e. stalked. Anthers about 2 mm long, filaments about 4 mm long. Pollen yellow. Stamens and ovary seated on a green disk. Ovary about 2 mm long. Stigma sessile. Ovules numerous on each placenta.

Fruits about 4-6 mm long. Seeds numerous in each fruit, each seed about 2 mm diam., coiled like a snail and transversely ribbed but not extending completely across the seed. Funicle white.

Features not available.

An introduced species originally from Mexico and South America now naturalised in the NT (possibly), CYP (possibly), NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range 10-200 m. Usually grows in openings in rainforest, mixed forest and Eucalypt forest also in various types of woodland and creek beds.

A weed of cultivation and agriculture.