Gomphrena weed (Gomphrena serrata)

Gomphrena weed or Gomphrena celosioides (Gomphrena serrata) is a species of plant in the Amaranthaceae, an annual or short-lived herb with a deep taproot, often matting in dense colonies and a cosmopolitan pioneer plant in disturbed areas.

G. serrata has erect stems or fallen, cylindrical, green and white hair. The leaves are elliptical in shape, short hairy stalks, pubescent, 3-4 cm long, green, a main vein in the middle and several small pinnate veins.

Flowers on terminal spikes, dense and growing in woolen containers. The perianth segments are thin, 4-6 mm long, shiny and whitish to pink in color. The flower has 2 stigmas and 5 stamens which are inserted opposite the sepals and join into a staminal tube with 5 teeth.

Single seed fruit. Seeds are 1.5 mm long, brown and shiny. The plant is used in traditional medicine for its nutritional qualities and for the treatment of various disorders such as digestive and respiratory problems, skin infections, some infectious diseases, and as an abortion.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Subfamily: Gomphrenoideae
Genus: Gomphrena
Species: Gomphrena serrata

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