Cleome rutidosperma DC.
var. rutidosperma

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (10)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Basoko town, Aruwimi River

Habit
Disturbed ground around building foundations
Kiubo Falls, Haut-Katanga Province
Apr 2025
Photo: Nick Wightman

Leaves
Disturbed ground around building foundations
Kiubo Falls, Haut-Katanga Province
Apr 2025
Photo: Nick Wightman

Flower
Disturbed ground around building foundations
Kiubo Falls, Haut-Katanga Province
Apr 2025
Photo: Nick Wightman

Capsule
Disturbed ground around building foundations
Kiubo Falls, Haut-Katanga Province
Apr 2025
Photo: Nick Wightman

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Cleome ciliata Schumach. & Thonn. Cleome guineensis Hook.f. Cleome thyrsiflora De Wild. & T.Durand Sieruela rutidosperma (DC.) Roalson & J.C.Hall Sieruela rutidosperma (DC.) Roalson & J.C.Hall;
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Annual herb up to 50 cm tall, branching and with few or more rarely many eglandular hairs or stalked glands on the upper part. Leaves petiolate, 3-foliolate; leaflets elliptic, obovate-elliptic or practically rhombic, 1–6 x 0.4–1.8 cm, glabrous or sparsely setulose-pubescent; petiole up to 7 cm long. Inflorescence lax and not clearly demarcated, very short or up to 20 cm long; bracts usually similar in size to the leaves. Sepals linear to linear-lanceolate, 2–4.5 mm long, glandular-puberulent. Petals pink or magenta, ± 1 cm long. Stamens 6. Gynophore 5–8(13) mm long. Capsules 3–6 cm long, glabrous or subglabrous. Seeds ±1.8 mm in diameter, orange to brown, with fine longitudinal striations and low irregular transverse ridges.
Type location:
Notes:	There is a record listed in GBIF from Sofala in Mozambique but we have no further confirmation as yet
Derivation of specific name:	rutidosperma: derived from Greek for wrinkled seed
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread from West Africa to Sudan and south to Angola, Zambia and Mozambique; also in India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Introduced and naturalised in parts of Central America and SE Asia..
FZ divisions:	MS
Growth form(s):	Annual.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Hauman, L. & Wilczek, R. (1951). Capparidaceae Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi Volume II Pages 514 - 515. as Cleome ciliata Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 82. Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Page 198. see Flora Zambesiaca volume 1 part 2: 565 corrections

Other sources of information about Cleome rutidosperma var. rutidosperma:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Cleome rutidosperma var. rutidosperma
Flora of the DRC: Cleome rutidosperma var. rutidosperma
Flora of Zambia: Cleome rutidosperma var. rutidosperma

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cleome rutidosperma
African Plant Database: Cleome rutidosperma
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cleome rutidosperma
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cleome rutidosperma
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cleome rutidosperma
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cleome rutidosperma
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cleome rutidosperma
JSTOR Plant Science: Cleome rutidosperma
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cleome rutidosperma
Plants of the World Online: Cleome rutidosperma
Tropicos: Cleome rutidosperma
Wikipedia: Cleome rutidosperma

Cleome rutidosperma DC. var. rutidosperma