Flowers in Israel: Spreading Hogweed

Boerhavia repens, Boerhavia diffusa, Spreading Hogweed,
Hebrew: בורהביה זוחלת, Arabic: الحثرة الزاحفة

Scientific name:   Boerhavia repens L.
Synonym name:   Boerhavia diffusa L.
Common name:   Spreading Hogweed, Red spiderling
Hebrew name:   בורהביה זוחלת
Arabic name:   الحثرة الزاحفة
Plant Family:   Nyctaginaceae, Four o’clock family, לילניים


Life form (Raunkiaer):   Chamaephyte, vine
Stems:   Prostrate, puberulous or almost hairless
Leaves:   Opposite, ovate to lanceolate, mostly less than 2.5 cm long, almost hairless, glandular
Flowers:   Usually in clusters of 2-6; white, pink or mauve
Fruits / pods:   3-4 mm long, clavate to fusiform with a rounded apex, 5-ribbed, smooth, more or less hairless
Flowering Period:   March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Habitat:   Desert, thermophilous (heat-loving)
Distribution:   Semi-steppe shrublands, Deserts and extreme deserts
Chorotype:   Tropical
Summer shedding:   Perennating


Derivation of the botanical name:

Boerhavia, named after Herman Boerhave, 1668-1739, a Dutch botanist, humanist and physician of European fame. He is regarded as the founder of clinical teaching and of the modern academic hospital.

repens, repo, to crawl, creep; creeping.
diffusa, diffus, spread out, extended, wide; spreading.
The Hebrew name: בורהביה זוחלת, Boerhavia zochelet, Boerhavia, named after Herman Boerhave; zochelet, creeping.

  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.