Purple cleome (Cleome rutidosperma) is a species of plant in the Cleomaceae, herbaceous, erect or creeping, 0.15-0.80 meters high, square-shaped stems and green, flowering all year round, growing on roadsides, rice fields, plantations. They also live as epiphytes on rocks and wood.
C. rutidosperma has elongated or rounded leaves, sharp or blunt tips, white hair, green, a main vein in the middle with many pinnate minor veins. The stalk is 0.5-2 cm long with thin spines and three strands.
The flowers have long stalks. The crown has a pointed claw-like tip, 9-12 mm long, reddish-blue in color and short fine hair. Fruit stalk 20-30 mm long, curved, capsule-shaped, pointed tip, linearly wrinkled and green. Seeds have a diameter of 1.75-2 mm, elaiosomes whitish.
Cleomaceae contain thioglucosides which release isothiocyanates when the plant is crushed. They also contain alkaloids and flavonoids of unknown species. Research on the benefits of purple cleome is still very limited and the compounds responsible for its activity are not known with certainty.
Thins plant can be used as an antifeedant or herbicide substitute for Brassica plant pests such as Plutella xylostella. Plants also contain a group of potential anticancer compounds, such as alkaloids and flavonoids, both of which have the potential to act as negative regulators of oncogenes and positive regulators of tumor suppressor genes.
Negative regulation of oncogenes stops cancer cell proliferation at certain phases of the cell cycle. Tumor suppressor genes such as p53 protein and Retinoblastoma protein (pRb). The Rb protein is able to bind to the E2F protein, so that the cell cycle can be inhibited.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Brassicales
Family: Cleomaceae
Genus: Cleome L. in Sp. Pl.: 671 (1753)
Species: Cleome rutidosperma DC. in Prodr. 1: 241 (1824)
Variety: Cleome rutidosperma var. burmanni (Wight & Arn.) Siddiqui & S.N.Dixit, Cleome rutidosperma var. rutidosperma
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Sieruela rutidosperma (DC.) Roalson & J.C.Hall in Syst. Bot. 42: 938 (2017)
PUBLICATIONS
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Barthelat, F. (2019). La flore illustrée de Mayotte: 1-687. Biotope éditions.
Boggan, J. Funck, V. & Kelloff, C. (1997). Checklist of the Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Surinam, Franch Guiana) ed. 2: 1-238. University of Guyana, Georgetown.
Brundu, G. & Camarda, I. (2013). The Flora of Chad: a checklist and brief analysis. PhytoKeys 23: 1-18.
Buragohain, S. & Sarma, G.C. (2009). The exotic weeds of Guwahati, Assam and their role in employment generation. Pleione 3(1): 45-49.
Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Dash, S.S. & al. (eds.) (2025). Flora of Gujarat 1: 1-696. Botanical Survey of India.
Dorji, R. & al. (2022). Nineteen new records of plant species including two new genera recorded from Bhutan himalayas. Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy 52: 173-183.
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Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
George, A.S., Orchard, A.E. & Hewson, H.J. (eds.) (1993). Oceanic islands 2. Flora of Australia 50: 1-606. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
Girmansyah, D. & al. (eds.) (2013). Flora of Bali an annotated checklist: 1-158. Herbarium Bogorensis, Indonesia.
Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].
Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.
Lejoy, J., Ndjele, M.-B. & Geerinck, D. (2010). Catalogue-flore des plantes vasculaires des districts de Kisangani et de la Tshopo (RD Congo). Taxonomania 30: 1-307.
Leti, M., Hul, S., Fouché, J.-G., Cheng, S.K. & David, B. (2013). Flore photographique du Cambodge: 1-589. Éditions Privat, Toulouse.
Mao, A.A. & Dash, S.S. (2020). Flowering Plants of India an Annotated Checklist (Dicotyledons) 1: 1-970. Botanical Survey of India.
Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Newman, M., Ketphanh, S., Svengsuksa, B., Thomas, P., Sengdala, K., Lamxay, V. & Armstrong, K. (2007). A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR: 1-394. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
Nurtjahya, E. & al. (2026). Flowering Plants of Bangka Island: Native and Introduced. Acta Botanica Hungarica 68: 127-156.
Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.
Pandey, R.P. (2009). Floristic diversity of Ferrargunj forest area in South Andaman. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 33: 747-768.
Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.
Prakash, L. & Balasubramanian, P. (2018). Invasive alien flora of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Southern Eastern Ghats, India. Indian Forester 144: 857-862.
Sarmah, K.K. & Borthakur, S.K. (2009). A checklist of angiospermic plants of Manas national park in Assam, India. Pleione 3: 190-200.
Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.
T. Smitinand & K. Larsen, eds. (1987). Flora of Thailand 5: 1-470. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department.
Thaman, R.R., Fosberg, F.R., Manner, H.I. & Hassall, D.C. (1994). The Flora of Nauru. Atoll Research Bulletin 392: 1-223.
Turner, I.M. (1995). A catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Malaya. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 47(1): 1-346.
Van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (ed.) (1960-1972). Flora Malesiana 6: 1-1023. Noordhoff-Kolff N.V., Djakarta.
Velayos, M., Barberá, P., Cabezas, F.J., de la Estrella, M., Fero, M. & Aedo, C. (2014). Checklist of the vascular plants of Annobón (Equatorial Guinea). Phytotaxa 171: 1-78.
Villaseñor, J.L. (2016). Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.
Watson, M.F. & al. (eds.) (2011). Flora of Nepal 3: 1-425. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2008). Flora of China 7: 1-499. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).
VERNACULAR NAME
Australia: Spiderplant
Bengali: নীল হুরহুরে Nil Hurhure
Cameroon: Lovanga
Chinese (Simplified): 皱子白花菜
Chinese (Traditional): 皺子白花菜 - 平伏莖白花菜 - 成功白花菜
Congo Democratic Republic: Batina-ba-baku
English: Purple Cleome, Fringed Spider Flower
French: Mouzambe rampant
Gabon: Dougo dougo
German: Kleome
Ghana: Nanjinda
Guangdong: 皺子白花菜
Hebrew: קלאומה סגולה
Hindi: नीलावेला Neelavela
Hong Kong: 皺子白花菜
Indonesian: Maman Lanang, Maman Ungu
Japanese: アフリカフウチョウソウ
Java: Maman
Korean: 퍼플 클레오메
Macao: 皺子白花菜
Malayalam: Neelavela
Malaysia: Maman pasir
Marathi: Nili tilwan
Nigeria: Agbàlálà
Odia : Anasorisho
Russian: Клеоме морщинистосемянная
Spanish: Jasmin del rio
Swahili: Mgagani
Tagalog: Seru-walai, Tamil-malaya
Taiwan: 平伏莖白花菜 - 成功白花菜
Thai: ผักเสี้ยนขน
Aryo Bandoro
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