Description
It is assumed the plant originated in Central America, but is
widely naturalized world over, probably because of its ingenious
technique of transporting its seeds on animal fur. The plant has
large and broad leaves, light and bright green in color in an
alternate pattern with irregular lobes and relatively inconspicuous
teeth. Stems turn maroon to black when mature, with an elliptic or
egg shaped fruit clusters growing nestled around the stem. Common
Cocklebur is an annual herb with a short, stout, hairy stem. Flower
heads occur in racemes in leaf axils or at the end of branches. The
flowers are white or green, numerous, male upper most, female
ovoid, covered with hooked bristles. Fruit is obovoid, enclosed in
the hardened involucre, with 2 hooked beaks and hooked bristles.
Flowering: August-September.
The whole plant, specially root and fruit, is used as medicine.
According to Ayurveda, X. strumarium is cooling, laxative,
fattening, anthelmintic, alexiteric, tonic, digestive, antipyretic,
and improves appetite, voice, complexion, and memory. It cures
leucoderma, biliousness, poisonous bites of insects, epilepsy,
salivation and fever.
