Taxon: Achyranthes aspera L.

Summary

Genus:

Achyranthes

Family:

Amaranthaceae

Nomen number:

401486

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:204. 1753, nom. cons.

Comment:

conserved (nom. cons.) with a conserved type (Shenzhen ICN Art. 14.3 & App. IV) through conservation of the genus Achyranthes

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

03/12/2004 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

6 (2 active, 1 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Achyranthes aspera L. var. aspera (0 active accession[s])
Achyranthes aspera L. var. sicula L. (0 active accession[s])
Achyranthes aspera var. pubescens (0 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62 Note: mentions
Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Burkill, H. M. 1985-2004. The useful plants of west tropical Africa.
Chaudhary, S. A. 1987. Weeds of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula.
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
El-Hadidi, M. N. & M. S. Abdallah. 1980-. Flora of Egypt.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Görts-van Rijn, A. R. A., ed. 1986-. Flora of the Guianas.
Harling, G. & B. Sparre, eds. 1973-. Flora of Ecuador.
Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
Holm, L. et al. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 16.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
León (J. S. Sauget) & Alain (E. E. Liogier). 1946-1969. Flora de Cuba
McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1993. Flora europaea, ed. 2.
Valkenburg, J. L. C. H. van & N. Bunyapraphatsara, eds. 2001. Medicinal and poisonous plants 2. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 12(2):39-42.
Vibrans, H., ed. Malezas de México (on-line resource).
Walker, E. 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	seq	Citation
English	burweed		1	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
English	chaffbur		1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English	chaff-flower		1	Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
English	devil's horsewhip		1	Holm, L. et al. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 16.
English	prickly chaff-flower		1	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Afrikaans	grootklits		2	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Afrikaans	langklitskafblom		2	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Arabic	na'eem		2	Chaudhary, S. A. 1987. Weeds of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula.
Chinese	tu niu xi	土牛膝	2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Sudan
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria		tropical & subtropical
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Egypt
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Côte D'Ivoire
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Sierra Leone
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Fujian Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangdong Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guizhou Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hainan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hubei Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hunan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangxi Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Sichuan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Zhejiang Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Afghanistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Jordan
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Lebanon
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Syria
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Bhutan
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Nepal
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka			Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Cambodia
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Laos
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Myanmar
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Thailand			Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Malaysia
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	New South Wales	e.	Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Northern Territory		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Queensland	n., e., & c.	Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Western Australia	n. & w.	Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		incl. Sardinia, Sicily
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Quintana Roo
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Barbados			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominica			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Grenada			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Lucia			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	French Guiana			Görts-van Rijn, A. R. A., ed. 1986-. Flora of the Guianas.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Guyana			Görts-van Rijn, A. R. A., ed. 1986-. Flora of the Guianas.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Suriname			Görts-van Rijn, A. R. A., ed. 1986-. Flora of the Guianas.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia		tropical & subtropical
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru
4	Naturalized					widely natzd.
6	Other					exact native range obscure

Native
Africa

NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria (tropical & subtropical), Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Sudan
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Cameroon
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Côte D'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria
CHINA: China [Fujian Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Hainan Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan
INDO-CHINA: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales (e.), Queensland (n., e., & c.), Western Australia (n. & w.), Northern Territory]

Europe

SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily)
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain

Northern America

SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Chiapas, Quintana Roo]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines
CENTRAL AMERICA: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia (tropical & subtropical), Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Naturalized (widely natzd.)
Other (exact native range obscure)

Reference(s)

Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
Görts-van Rijn, A. R. A., ed. 1986-. Flora of the Guianas.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Environmental	soil improver	potential, as green manure	Burkill, H. M. 1985-2004. The useful plants of west tropical Africa.
Harmful organism host	crop diseases		Holm, L. et al. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 16.
Medicines	folklore		Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicines	folklore		McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=401486. Accessed 14 April 2026.