Taxon:  Tribulus cistoides L.



Summary
Genus:
Tribulus
Family:
Zygophyllaceae
Subfamily:
Tribuloideae
Nomen number:
447663
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 1:387.  1753
Verified:
01/12/2005 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
0 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System. 
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Homotypic Synonym(s)
Tribulus terrestris L. var. cistoides (L.) Oliv.

Images (3 total. Click on image for more.)
Fruits

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica
  3. Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. 1963-1968. Flora of Java.
  4. Barker, R. M. 1998. A trial key and notes on Tribulus (Zygophyllaceae) in Australia, including one new species and validation of Tribulus suberosus. Nuytsia 12:25.
  5. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  6. Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
  7. Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
  8. Editorial Committee of the Flora of Taiwan. 1993-. Flora of Taiwan, ed. 2.
  9. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  10. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  11. Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
  12. Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
  13. Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
  14. Merrill, E. D. 1922-1926. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants.
  15. Missouri Botanical Garden. W³Tropicos (on-line resource).
  16. Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
  17. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  18. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
  19. Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i
  20. Wunderlin, R. P. 1998. Guide to the vascular plants of Florida
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishburnut  1Wunderlin, R. P. 1998. Guide to the vascular plants of Florida
EnglishJamaican feverplant  1Wunderlin, R. P. 1998. Guide to the vascular plants of Florida
Englishkill Bukra  1Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica
EnglishKingston-buttercup  1Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica
Englishlarge yellow caltrop  1Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
Englishpagode  1Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
Englishpuncturevine  1Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
Englishturkey-blossum  1Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica
Frenchherbe soleil  2Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Frenchherse  2Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Frenchpourpier-bord de mer  2Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Spanishabrojo  2Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
Spanishcabeza de arriero  2Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
Spanishyerba de araña  2Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya coastalTurrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania coastalTurrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEritrea  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaEthiopia  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1NativeAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSomalia  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1NativeAfricaSouth Tropical AfricaMozambique coastalHedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMadagascar  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMauritius  Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanReunion  Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesiaJawae.Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesiaLesser Sunda Islands Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesiaMaluku Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesiaSulawesi Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalPapuasiaPapua New Guinea  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNorthern Territoryn.Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaQueenslandn.Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaWestern Australian.Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4Naturalized    widely natzd. elsewhere 
Native
Africa
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya (coastal), Tanzania (coastal)
  • SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Mozambique (coastal)
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion
Asia-Tropical
  • PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
  • MALESIA: Indonesia [Jawa (e.), Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku, Sulawesi]
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland (n.), Western Australia (n.), Northern Territory (n.)]
Naturalized (widely natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)
  1. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  2. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  3. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  4. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  5. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Weed  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
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=447663. Accessed 10 May 2026.