749

Cyathula prostrata (L.) Blume

Synonym	:	Cyathula alternifolia Druce
Family	:	Amaranthaceae
Local name	:	English - Small prickly chaff flower Malayalam - Cherukadaladi, Chuvannakadaladi
Flowering and fruiting period	:	September-April
Distribution	:	Pantropical
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also in  the plains
Uses	:	The aerial parts in decoction are drunk against cough and a decoction of the roots is used against dysentery. As a plaster, it is used for caterpillar itch, around the neck for cough and on the belly for intestinal worms or shingles.
Key Botanical Characters: Decumbent herbs. Leaves simple, opposite, rhomboid, acute at both ends, thinly pubescent. Spike terminal, to 18 cm long, slender, solitary. Flowers in groups of 3-5 of which one perfect and others neutor; bracts and bracteoles similar, 1.5 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate, pubescent. Tepals 5, free, elliptic, acute, hooked awn like in neutor flowers. Stamens 5, alternate with stamens, fimbriate. Ovary ovoid, style simple, stigma capitellate. Achenes obovoid, compressed, golden brown.