Code
WALAM
Growth form
Broadleaf
Life cycle
Perennial
Habitat
Terrestrial
WALAM
Growth form
Broadleaf
Life cycle
Perennial
Habitat
Terrestrial
🗒 Synonyms
| synonym | Melochia corchorifolia Wall. |
| synonym | Waltheria africana K.Schum. |
| synonym | Waltheria africana K.Schum. |
| synonym | Waltheria africana Schum. & Thonn. |
| synonym | Waltheria americana L. |
| synonym | Waltheria americana var. densiflora Schum. |
| synonym | Waltheria americana var. elliptica (Cav.) Schum. |
| synonym | Waltheria americana var. indica (L.) K. Schum. |
| synonym | Waltheria americana var. subspicata K. Schum. |
| synonym | Waltheria angustifolia L. |
| synonym | Waltheria arborescens Cav. |
| synonym | Waltheria corchorifolia Pers. |
| synonym | Waltheria detonsa A.Gray |
| synonym | Waltheria detonsa A.Gray |
| synonym | Waltheria elliptica Cav. |
| synonym | Waltheria erioclada DC. |
| synonym | Waltheria guineensis K.Schum. |
| synonym | Waltheria guineensis K.Schum. |
| synonym | Waltheria guineensis Schum. & Thonn. |
| synonym | Waltheria indica var. americana (L.) R. Br. ex Hosaka |
| synonym | Waltheria indica var. sahelica Roberty |
| synonym | Waltheria laevis Schrank |
| synonym | Waltheria laevis Schrank |
| synonym | Waltheria makinoi Hayata |
| synonym | Waltheria microphylla Cav. |
| synonym | Waltheria obtusa Willd. ex Steud. |
| synonym | Waltheria pauciflora Hochst. ex Mast. |
| synonym | Waltheria pedunculata Willd. ex Steud. |
| synonym | Waltheria pyrolifolia Gray |
| synonym | Waltheria wildii Suess. |
🗒 Common Names
| Creoles and pidgins; French-based |
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| English |
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| Malagasy |
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📚 Overview
Description
Global description
Waltheria indica is an erect, lignified, pubescent plant with simple, alternate, stalked and stipulate leaves. The lamina is oval, with wedged apex, cordate base and serrated margin. It is covered with a strong pubescence of stellate hairs. The flowers are assembled in axillary and terminal glomeruli. The calyx is in tube shape, the parts of the corolla are free. The fruit is a capsule opening by 2 valves and containing only one oblong seed.
Cotyledons
The cotyledons are obovate to orbicular. They are carried by a long stalk, 10 mm. The lamina is 7 mm long and 5 mm wide. It is marked with 3-vein from the base.
First leaves
The first leaves are simple and alternate. They are long-stalked. The lamina is oval, 1 to 2 cm long and 8 to 12 mm wide. It is marked by 3 to 5 ribs emerging from the base. The margin is serrated. The stem is pubescent, covered with simple hairs and the leaves also are pubescent, covered with stellate hairs, giving them a grayish green color.
General habit
Upright growth habit. The plant is a moderately branched bush. It measures 1 to 1.5 m high.
Underground system
Deep and strongly rooted taproot.
Stem
The stem is cylindrical and solid. It quickly becomes woody at the base. It is pubescent, covered with long simple hairs.
Leaf
The leaves are simple and alternate. They are carried by a long stalk of 15 to 20 mm. The base of the petiole is framed by two linear stipules, 4 mm long and pubescent. The lamina is oval lanceolate, the apex wedged and rounded and base cordate. It is 5 to 14 cm long and 2.5 to 6 cm wide. The margin is strongly serrated. The blade is marked with 5 ribs emerging from the base. Both sides are strongly pubescent. They are covered with soft stellate hairs, giving a grayish green color, especially for the bottom side.
Inflorescence
The flowers are assembled in contracted cymes having the appearance of glomeruli. These glomeruli are axillary or located at the end of branches. They are more or less long stalked.
Flower
Flowers are subsessile. The calyx is formed of five sepals fused in a tube, 4 to 4.5 mm long and ending with 5 long triangular tines. The corolla consists of 5 free petals, rounded at the top and with narrow base, 6 mm long. The corolla is yellow, it turns orange and then brown when dry. The 5 stamens have a wide filament, fused at the base of the petals. The ovary is globular, topped with a style that ends in feathery stigma, as high as the corolla.
Fruit
The fruit is a dehiscent capsule, almost spherical, with 2 valves. It measures 4 mm in diameter and remains in the calyx. It contains a single seed.
Seed
The seed is oblong, 2.5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide. The integument is finely granular, black in color.
Waltheria indica is an erect, lignified, pubescent plant with simple, alternate, stalked and stipulate leaves. The lamina is oval, with wedged apex, cordate base and serrated margin. It is covered with a strong pubescence of stellate hairs. The flowers are assembled in axillary and terminal glomeruli. The calyx is in tube shape, the parts of the corolla are free. The fruit is a capsule opening by 2 valves and containing only one oblong seed.
Cotyledons
The cotyledons are obovate to orbicular. They are carried by a long stalk, 10 mm. The lamina is 7 mm long and 5 mm wide. It is marked with 3-vein from the base.
First leaves
The first leaves are simple and alternate. They are long-stalked. The lamina is oval, 1 to 2 cm long and 8 to 12 mm wide. It is marked by 3 to 5 ribs emerging from the base. The margin is serrated. The stem is pubescent, covered with simple hairs and the leaves also are pubescent, covered with stellate hairs, giving them a grayish green color.
General habit
Upright growth habit. The plant is a moderately branched bush. It measures 1 to 1.5 m high.
Underground system
Deep and strongly rooted taproot.
Stem
The stem is cylindrical and solid. It quickly becomes woody at the base. It is pubescent, covered with long simple hairs.
Leaf
The leaves are simple and alternate. They are carried by a long stalk of 15 to 20 mm. The base of the petiole is framed by two linear stipules, 4 mm long and pubescent. The lamina is oval lanceolate, the apex wedged and rounded and base cordate. It is 5 to 14 cm long and 2.5 to 6 cm wide. The margin is strongly serrated. The blade is marked with 5 ribs emerging from the base. Both sides are strongly pubescent. They are covered with soft stellate hairs, giving a grayish green color, especially for the bottom side.
Inflorescence
The flowers are assembled in contracted cymes having the appearance of glomeruli. These glomeruli are axillary or located at the end of branches. They are more or less long stalked.
Flower
Flowers are subsessile. The calyx is formed of five sepals fused in a tube, 4 to 4.5 mm long and ending with 5 long triangular tines. The corolla consists of 5 free petals, rounded at the top and with narrow base, 6 mm long. The corolla is yellow, it turns orange and then brown when dry. The 5 stamens have a wide filament, fused at the base of the petals. The ovary is globular, topped with a style that ends in feathery stigma, as high as the corolla.
Fruit
The fruit is a dehiscent capsule, almost spherical, with 2 valves. It measures 4 mm in diameter and remains in the calyx. It contains a single seed.
Seed
The seed is oblong, 2.5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide. The integument is finely granular, black in color.
Wiktrop
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| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY_SA |
| References |
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No Data
📚 Nomenclature and Classification
No Data
📚 Natural History
Life Cycle
Life cycle
Annual
Perenial
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Mayotte : Waltheria indica flowers from November to April and fruits from January to June.
New Caledonia: Flowering and fruiting of Waltheria indica occur at the end of the rainy season.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
Reproduction
Waltheria indica is a perennial species, which can behave as annual plant in cultivated areas. It multiplies by seeds only.
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| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY_SA |
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There is content in another language. Please click here to read it. (Français)
Morphology
Growth form
Erected
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Type of prefoliation
Leaf ratio medium
Narrow leaf
Latex
Without latex
Stem section
Round
Root type
Taproot
Hollow or solid stem
Solid stem
Stipule type
Lanceolate stipule
Leaf attachment type
with petiole
Fruit type
Capsule
Cotyledon type
orbicular
Lamina base
rounded
cordate
Lamina margin
largely dentate
Lamina apex
acute
Upperface pilosity
Dense hairy
Upperface hair type
Stellate
Lowerface pilosity
Dense hairy
Lowerface hair type
Stellate
Lamina section
flat
Lamina Veination
Palmate
pennate
Flower color
Pinkish
Yellow
Blue
Orange
Inflorescence type
Pedonculate glomerule
Stem pilosity
Dense hairy
Life form
Broadleaf plant
Ecology
There is content in another language. Please click here to read it. (Français)
Northern-Cameroon: Waltheria indica develops from Sudano-Sahelian region to Guinea region. This species occurs in degraded soils, with low fertility, having a sandy superficial horizon, such as ferruginous degraded soils on sandstone or laterite stand.
French Guiana: A common species in ruderal areas.
Madagascar: Present in all areas, and on tanety and baiboho (upland soils). Common on the edges of fields, wastelands or plots recently returned to culture after fallow. Not palatable by animals.
Mauritius: It is a species that has been introduced and is naturalized throughout at low altitude in fallow, vacant lots and roadsides.
Mayotte: Waltheria indica is an exotic species naturalized in secondarized open environments, especially along roads and in forest windfalls.
New Caledonia: It is a classical weed of crops and disturbed areas (dry forest) and wastelands.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY_SA |
| References |
No Data
📚 Habitat and Distribution
General Habitat
Habitat
Terrestrial
Description
Waltheria indica is of American origin
Geographical distibution
Madagascar
Mauritius
Origin
Waltheria indica is of American origin
Worldwide distribution
Waltheria indica is a widespread species in the tropics. It would have been disseminated very early in the Pacific first by the indigenous populations and then by the first European travelers. The first official record in New Caledonia is 1774.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY_SA |
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There is content in another language. Please click here to read it. (Français)
No Data
📚 Occurrence
No Data
📚 Demography and Conservation
Risk Statement
Local harmfulness
Benin: Rare but abundant when present.
Burkina Faso: Rare and scarce.
Northern Cameroon: Waltheria indica is a species frequent and abundant in the wasteland and fallow on low fertility soils. It is a minor weed, present mainly in the Sudano-Sahelian and Sudan regions where these soil types are common. This is a scarce weed that is characterised of recently cultivated parcels after fallow. It grows in traditionally cultivated land, with a manual and superficial tillage and without fertilizer or herbicide. It is found mainly in sorghum or peanut, usually practiced on sandy and infertile soils.
Fiji : Invasive
Ghana: Frequent and scarce.
French Guiana: It is infrequent and not abundant in fruit crops of French Guiana.
Mali: Rare and scarce.
Madagascar: No harmful in general.
Mauritius: This species has never been encountered in crops.
New Caledonia: It is now a classic weed of crops; it is also found in disturbed areas (dry forest), wasteland. It is part of the secondary weed patch on pasture with a modest occurrence frequency (less than 5%). Its ligneous character and the roughness of its leaves make it unappetizing for cattle which can however consume the young shoots.
Uganda: Rare but abundant when present.
Local harmfulness
Benin: Rare but abundant when present.
Burkina Faso: Rare and scarce.
Northern Cameroon: Waltheria indica is a species frequent and abundant in the wasteland and fallow on low fertility soils. It is a minor weed, present mainly in the Sudano-Sahelian and Sudan regions where these soil types are common. This is a scarce weed that is characterised of recently cultivated parcels after fallow. It grows in traditionally cultivated land, with a manual and superficial tillage and without fertilizer or herbicide. It is found mainly in sorghum or peanut, usually practiced on sandy and infertile soils.
Fiji : Invasive
Ghana: Frequent and scarce.
French Guiana: It is infrequent and not abundant in fruit crops of French Guiana.
Mali: Rare and scarce.
Madagascar: No harmful in general.
Mauritius: This species has never been encountered in crops.
New Caledonia: It is now a classic weed of crops; it is also found in disturbed areas (dry forest), wasteland. It is part of the secondary weed patch on pasture with a modest occurrence frequency (less than 5%). Its ligneous character and the roughness of its leaves make it unappetizing for cattle which can however consume the young shoots.
Uganda: Rare but abundant when present.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
There is content in another language. Please click here to read it. (Français)
No Data
📚 Uses and Management
Management
Global control
For weeding Advice of broadleaf perennial weeds in irrigated rice and lowland in Africa, visit: http://portal.wiktrop.org/document/show/26
Local control
Madagascar: Manual weeding of Waltheria indica is difficult because of the strong rooting. Chemically, Waltheria indica is controlled by atrazine, diuron oxadiazon or pre-emergence, and 2, 4-D or glyphosate on young plants. Adult plants are relatively tolerant to these herbicides, especially 2, 4-D.
New Caledonia: The presence of this secondary adventitious pasture, combined with other weeds of the same type, contributes to the degradation of pastures and in some cases seriously concurs the forage species. On grazing in place, considering its perennial woody form, it is necessary to act quickly at the beginning of infestation and before fruiting. A passage through the growth gyro-grinder should be followed by a herbicide treatment targeted at regrowth with selective active ingredients such as fluroxypyr or triclopyr, pycloram combined with 2,4-D. Control may also be necessary when setting up a pasture.
For weeding Advice of broadleaf perennial weeds in irrigated rice and lowland in Africa, visit: http://portal.wiktrop.org/document/show/26
Local control
Madagascar: Manual weeding of Waltheria indica is difficult because of the strong rooting. Chemically, Waltheria indica is controlled by atrazine, diuron oxadiazon or pre-emergence, and 2, 4-D or glyphosate on young plants. Adult plants are relatively tolerant to these herbicides, especially 2, 4-D.
New Caledonia: The presence of this secondary adventitious pasture, combined with other weeds of the same type, contributes to the degradation of pastures and in some cases seriously concurs the forage species. On grazing in place, considering its perennial woody form, it is necessary to act quickly at the beginning of infestation and before fruiting. A passage through the growth gyro-grinder should be followed by a herbicide treatment targeted at regrowth with selective active ingredients such as fluroxypyr or triclopyr, pycloram combined with 2,4-D. Control may also be necessary when setting up a pasture.
Wiktrop
| Attributions | Wiktrop |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
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There is content in another language. Please click here to read it. (Français)
No Data
📚 Information Listing
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Thomas Le Bourgeois
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| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
| References |
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References
- Husson, O., H. Charpentier, F.-X. Chabaud, K. Naudin, Rakotondramanana et L. Séguy (2010). Flore des jachères et adventices des cultures. Annexe 1 : les principales plantes de jachères et adventices des cultures à Madagascar. In : Manuel pratique du semis direct à Madagascar. Annexe 1 - Antananarivo : GSDM/CIRAD, 2010 : 64 p.
- Grard, P., T. Le Bourgeois and H. Merlier (2010). Adventrop V.1.5 Les adventices d'Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Montpellier, France, Cirad.
- Blanfort, V., F. Desmoulins, J. Prosperi, T. Le Bourgeois, R. Guiglion and P. Grard (2010). AdvenPaC V.1.0 : Adventices et plantes à conflit d'intérêt des Pâturages de Nouvelle-Calédonie. Montpellier, France, IAC, Cirad.http://idao.cirad.fr/applications
- Berton, A. (2020). Flore spontanée des cultures maraichères et fruitières de Guyane. Guide de reconnaissance des 140 adventices les plus communes des parcelles cultivées. Cayenne, Guyane, FREDON Guyane: 186.https://portal.wiktrop.org/document/show/173
- Marnotte, P. and A. Carrara. (2007). "Plantes des rizières de Guyane." from http://plantes-rizieres-guyane.cirad.fr/.
- Le Bourgeois, T., Merlier, H. 1995. Adventrop - Les adventices d'Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Cirad, Montpellier, France.
- Barthelat, F. 2019. La Flore illustrée de Mayotte. Meze, Paris, France, Collection Inventaires et Biodiversité, Biotope – Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. 687 p.
- Grard, P., Le Bourgeois, T., Rodenburg, J., Marnotte, P., Carrara, A., Irakiza, R., Makokha, D., kyalo, G., Aloys, K., Iswaria, K., Nguyen, N. & Tzelepoglou, G. 2012. AFROweeds V.1.0: African weeds of rice Montpellier, France & Cotonou, Bénin, Cirad-AfricaRice eds
Information Listing > References
- Husson, O., H. Charpentier, F.-X. Chabaud, K. Naudin, Rakotondramanana et L. Séguy (2010). Flore des jachères et adventices des cultures. Annexe 1 : les principales plantes de jachères et adventices des cultures à Madagascar. In : Manuel pratique du semis direct à Madagascar. Annexe 1 - Antananarivo : GSDM/CIRAD, 2010 : 64 p.
- Grard, P., T. Le Bourgeois and H. Merlier (2010). Adventrop V.1.5 Les adventices d'Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Montpellier, France, Cirad.
- Blanfort, V., F. Desmoulins, J. Prosperi, T. Le Bourgeois, R. Guiglion and P. Grard (2010). AdvenPaC V.1.0 : Adventices et plantes à conflit d'intérêt des Pâturages de Nouvelle-Calédonie. Montpellier, France, IAC, Cirad.http://idao.cirad.fr/applications
- Berton, A. (2020). Flore spontanée des cultures maraichères et fruitières de Guyane. Guide de reconnaissance des 140 adventices les plus communes des parcelles cultivées. Cayenne, Guyane, FREDON Guyane: 186.https://portal.wiktrop.org/document/show/173
- Marnotte, P. and A. Carrara. (2007). "Plantes des rizières de Guyane." from http://plantes-rizieres-guyane.cirad.fr/.
- Le Bourgeois, T., Merlier, H. 1995. Adventrop - Les adventices d'Afrique soudano-sahélienne. Cirad, Montpellier, France.
- Barthelat, F. 2019. La Flore illustrée de Mayotte. Meze, Paris, France, Collection Inventaires et Biodiversité, Biotope – Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. 687 p.
- Grard, P., Le Bourgeois, T., Rodenburg, J., Marnotte, P., Carrara, A., Irakiza, R., Makokha, D., kyalo, G., Aloys, K., Iswaria, K., Nguyen, N. & Tzelepoglou, G. 2012. AFROweeds V.1.0: African weeds of rice Montpellier, France & Cotonou, Bénin, Cirad-AfricaRice eds
Etude floristique et phytoécologique des adventices des complexes sucriers de Ferké 1 et 2, de Borotou-Koro et de Zuenoula, en Côte d'Ivoire
TL
Thomas Le BourgeoisImages
Herbarium images ReCOLNAT: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Waltheria%2520indica
Thomas Le Bourgeois
| Attributions | |
| Contributors | |
| Status | UNDER_CREATION |
| Licenses | CC_BY |
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There is content in another language. Please click here to read it. (Français)
No Data
🐾 Taxonomy
| Root | Root |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Malvales |
| Family | Malvaceae |
| Genus | Waltheria |
| Species | Waltheria indica L. |
📊 Temporal Distribution
📷 Related Observations
