Cleome viscosa L.
Common Name : Tick weed
Family : Capparidaceae

HABIT |
AN ERECT, SIMPLE OR SPARSELY BRANCHED, UNARMED ANNUAL HERB. |
STEMS |
UP TO 1.5 M TALL WITH A
STRONG, PENETRATING AND UNPLEASANT ODOUR; STEMS GROOVED, DENSELY CLOTHED WITH
GLANDULAR OR SIMPLE HAIRS. |
LEAVES |
LEAVES 3-5 FOLIATE, DENSELY GLANDULAR-PUBESCENT WHEN YOUNG,
PETIOLES OF THE LOWER LEAVES 2.5-5 CM LONG, THOSE OF THE UPPER LEAVES 0.4-3.8
CM; LEAFLETS ELLIPTIC-OBLONG OR OBOVATE, 2-4.3 CM LONG AND 0.8- 2.5 CM WIDE,
BASE CUNEATE TO ATTENUATE, APEX ACUTE OR OBTUSE. |
FLOWERS |
FLOWERS VARIOUS SHADES OF
YELLOW OR WHITE TO PINKISH OR PURPLE, 1.3 CM LONG, BORNE IN THE AXILS OF
REDUCED LEAF-LIKE BRACTS IN LAX CORYMBOSE RACEMES. |
FRUITS |
A SLENDER, ERECT, GLANDULAR
PUBESCENT CYLINDRICAL CAPSULE, 5-12 CM LONG. |
SEEDS |
ABOUT 1 MM IN DIAMETER,
GRANULAR, BLACK OR DARK BROWN. |