Common Name: Bristly Starbur

General Information

Bristly Starbur is an upright annual plant growing 20 - 80cm tall[, ].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for use in traditional medicine[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina north to Central America in Honduras and Nicaragua.

Habitat

A weed of disturbed land, it is commonly found in cultivated upland crops, roadsides, pastures, waste areas, around corrals, and along railroads and cattle trails[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in a wide range of climates from the temperate to the tropical zones[].
Succeeds in a wide range of soils, preferring light soils but even succeeding in heavy clays[].
The plant has become a weed in many areas of the tropics and subtropics[]. Both the seeds and the leaves contain phenolic acids that are allelopathic to other plants. It is known to invade pastures and out-compete more desirable native species, it is also a weed of crops and a serious contaminant of wool[]. A prolific seeder, the hooked hairs of the fruit attach easily to the coats of animals, and the fruit is widely distributed by this means[, ]. The seeds also float and can be spread by floodwaters[]. It is classified as a 'Noxious Weed' in some areas[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is bitter and aromatic[]. It is used in some parts of S. America as a diuretic and sudorific[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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