Sleepy morning (Waltheria indica)

Sleepy morning (Waltheria indica) is a plant species in the Malvaceae, short-lived subshrub or shrub, up to 2 meters high, stem diameter 2 cm, most common in dry, disturbed and humid habitats, rainfall 750-1800 mm/year and elevation from sea level up to 400 meters.

W. indica has a taproot, brown in color and flexible. Stem cylindrical, erect and strong, rising from beneath the soil surface, branched, green or reddish and white-haired.

Leaves alternate, narrow, oval or heart-shaped, edge regularly toothed, veins pinnate, wavy, green and white haired. Flowers appear at 6 months of age and bloom less or more until death occurs. Flowers are yellow and produce nectar.

This plant is drought tolerant. Generally easy to find in disturbed areas, weeds on roadside areas, cotton fields, rocks, savanna, river banks and forest boundaries.

This species contains alkaloids (adouetins X, Y, Y1, Z and cyclopeptid alkaloids), flavonoids (epicatechin, tiliroside, quercetin and kaemperol), sterols, terpenes, cardiac glycosides, saponins and anthraquinones.

Plants have analgesia, antianemic, antibacterial and antioxidant activity. Often used to treat mild symptoms of cough and sore throat), complications of asthma and inflammation, diarrhea, malaria, hemorrhoids, cancer, epilepsy, syphilis, infertility, bladder disease, erectile dysfunction and impotence.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Byttnerioideae
Genus: Waltheria
Species: Waltheria indica

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