Richardia scabra
L.
Rubiaceae
Plethyrsis glauca Raf.
Richardia cubensis A.Rich.
Richardia pilosa Ruiz & Pav.
Richardia procumbens Sessé & Moc.
Richardsonia cubensis A.Rich.
Richardsonia pilosa (Ruiz & Pav.) Kunth
Richardsonia scabra (L.) A.St.-Hil.
Spermacoce hirsute Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.
Spermacoce involucrata Pursh
Common Name: Mexican Clover
Flowering plant
Photograph by: Eleanor
General Information
Richardia scabra is a loosely branched annual plant that can grow up to 80cm tall but is more commonly prostrate[
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/
].
The root is sometimes gathered from the wild for medicinal use, where it is said to have similar properties to the widely used Ipecac (Cephaelis ipecacuanha). The plant is cultivated in southern N. America as a forage plant, green manure and soil cover[
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
72- Title
- Manual of the Southeastern Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Small J.K.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of N. Carolina Press.
- Year
- 1933
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
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
S. America - Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, north through the Caribbean and through Central America to southern N. America.
Habitat
Sandy soils, especially in cultivated fields[
72- Title
- Manual of the Southeastern Flora.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Small J.K.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- University of N. Carolina Press.
- Year
- 1933
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Getting rather dated now, an immense work covering the flora of Southeastern N. America. No pictures, it is not for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Sandy savannahs and grasslands, on roadsides, turf and in cultivated fields and waste areas.
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual |
| Height | 0.80 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a sunny position. Grows well in dry, sandy soils[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant has spread widely from its native range and has been declared an invasive weed in some areas[
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The root has been used as a substitute for Ipecac[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. Known as 'undulated', 'amylaceous', or 'white' Ipecac, it does not contain more than 6 per cent, of the active ingredient[
460- Title
- Flora Medica
- Publication
-
- Author
- Lindley J.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans: London
- Year
- 1838
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A massive work - many of the botanical names have changed, but the book is still a wealth of information.
].
The roots of ipecac contain a number of medically active constituents including isoquinoline alkaloids, tannins and glycosides[
254- Title
- The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chevallier. A.
- Publisher
- Dorling Kindersley. London
- Year
- 1996
- ISBN
- 9-780751-303148
- Description
- An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
]. They have a violently irritant action, stimulating the gastric and bronchial systems, lowering fevers and preventing cyst formation in amoebic dysentery[
238- Title
- Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bown. D.
- Publisher
- Dorling Kindersley, London.
- Year
- 1995
- ISBN
- 0-7513-020-31
- Description
- A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The plant is grown as a green manure and to provide soil cover[
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
