If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Tropical Plants

Lindernia diffusa

(L.) Wettst.

Linderniaceae


A recent study in the family Linderniaceae - Fischer E.; Schäferhoff B. & Müller K.: The Phylogeny of Linderniaceae - The New Genus Linderniella, and new combinations within Bonnaya, Craterostigma, Lindernia, Micranthemum, Torenia and Vandellia. Willdenowia 43: 209 - 238. December 2013. ISSN 0511-9618 - has proposed moving several genera from Scrophulariaceae into Lindernia; resurrecting the genera Bonnaya and Vandellia from within Lindernia; and describes a new genus Linderniella. These changes have not yet been accepted - if they do then this species will become Vandellia diffusa L.

+ Synonyms

Bonnaya origanifolia (Vahl) Spreng.

Gratiola origanifolia Vahl

Pyxidaria diffusa (L.) Kuntze

Riedelia officinalis Lacerda ex J.A.Schmidt

Sibthorpia americana Sessé & Moc.

Vandellia diffusa L.

Common Name:

Lindernia diffusa
Flowering stem
Photograph by: O.M. Montiel
Creative Commons License
Lindernia diffusa Lindernia diffusa Lindernia diffusa

General Information

Lindernia diffusa is a decumbent to ascending annual plant with a branched stem up to 20cm long that roots at the lower nodes.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.
This is a widespread species with no known threats. It is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/

Range

Widespread in the Americas from Brazil and Bolivia north to southern Mexico and in the Caribbean; West tropical Africa and Madagasar.

Habitat

Damp sites in waste places in western Africa[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. Moist thickets or fields, sometimes in waste ground about dwellings or on gravel bars along streams; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[
331
Title
Flora of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark
Website
http://www.archive.org/
Publisher
 
Year
1946 - 1976
ISBN
 
Description
A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitAnnual
Height0.15 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The whole plant is bitter, emetic, febrifuge, mucilaginous, mildly purgative[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
]. A decoction is used to treat both continual and intermittent fevers, bilious fevers, dysentery and liver ailments[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

The plant is abortifacient, anodyne, antiemetic, laxative, oxytocic, vermifuge[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. It is said to stimulate contractions of the uterus, so is used to facilitate childbirth and also induce an abortion[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. It is also used in the treatment of yaws[
332
Title
The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
Burkil. H. M.
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
1985 - 2004
ISBN
 
Description
Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Lindernia+diffusa>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.