Mustards, Capers, and Allies of Zihuatanejo

ORDER BRASSICALES

-Spider Flower Family (Family Cleomaceae)

-Spider Flowers (Genus Cleome)

-Asian Spiderflower (Cleome viscosa)

A tolerant plant on arable land; along roadsides, refuse heaps, coconut grooves; often in great quantities. It is an annual herb that grows up to a meter high. It belongs to the family Cleomaceae. It is considered an invasive species and is widely distributed in warm and humid habitats across the Americas.

Description

• Cleome viscosa, commonly known as Asian spider flower or wild mustard, is an annual herb in the cleome family (Cleomaceae). It has upright, branching stems and palmately arranged leaves, usually with three to five leaflets. The foliage and stems are sticky and often covered with glandular hairs, giving the plant a distinctive strong odour. Its small yellow flowers have prominent stamens and develop into long, narrow seed capsules.

Range

• Cleome viscosa is native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia and has become widely established in other warm regions. It grows in parts of Mexico and other areas of the Americas as an introduced plant. It is established in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.

Habitat

• It commonly grows in sunny, disturbed environments, including roadsides, cultivated fields, vacant lots, grasslands, and waste ground. It favours warm conditions and can thrive in relatively dry soils, often appearing after soil disturbance.