NAME: Chromolaena odorata
FAMILY: Compositae (Asteraceae)
COMMON NAMES: Siam weed, Christmas bush, devil weed, triffid weed.
LOCAL NAMES: Akintola ,Awolowo,Obiarakara
MORPHORLOGICAL DESCRIPTION:
Chromolaena odorata is an erect or sprawling shrub, perennial plant with more or less woody stems.
USEFUL PART(s): Leaves,stem-twigs
GENERAL USES:
Used as a green manure
Used for embalming dead bodies
The leaves can be used occasionally as an aromatic addition to soups
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION:
South-eastern USA, Mexico, Caribbean, Tropical South America
WHY IS IT GREEN?
Antimicrobial
Dysentery
Headache
Malaria fever
Toothache
Haemostatic
Skin diseases
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Can serve as an ornamental plant
Plant is toxic to livestock like fish when used as a green manure.
It is regarded as an environmental weed.
FUN FACT
The leaves give off a pungent, aromatic odor when crushed.
FURTHER READINGS
Chakraborty, A. K., Rambhade, S., & Patil, U. (2011). Chromolaena odorata ( L .) : An Overview. Journal of Pharmacy Research.
Kriticos, D. J., Yonow, T., & McFadyen, R. E. (2005). The potential distribution of Chromolaena odorata (Siam weed) in relation to climate. Weed Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3180.2005.00458.x
Kusuma, I. W., Murdiyanto, Arung, E. T., Syafrizal, & Kim, Y. (2014). Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of medicinal plants used by the Bentian tribe from Indonesia. Food Science and Human Wellness. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2014.12.004
Onkaramurthy, M., Veerapur, V. P., Thippeswamy, B. S., Madhusudana Reddy, T. N., Rayappa, H., & Badami, S. (2013). Anti-diabetic and anti-cataract effects of Chromolaena odorata Linn.; In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.11.023
Vaisakh, M. N., & Pandey, A. (2012). The invasive weed with healing properties: A review on chromolaena odorata. In International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.