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.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Byttnerioideae
Genus: Waltheria L. in Sp. Pl.: 673 (1753)
Species: Waltheria indica L. in Sp. Pl.: 673 (1753)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Waltheria americana var. indica (L.) K.Schum. in H.G.A.Engler, Monogr. Afrik. Pflanzen-Fam. 5: 47 (1900)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Melochia corchorifolia Wall. in Numer. List: n.° 1196 H (1829)
Waltheria africana Schumach. & Thonn. in Beskr. Guin. Pl.: 296 (1827)
Waltheria americana L. in Sp. Pl.: 673 (1753)
Waltheria americana var. densiflora K.Schum. (1900)
Waltheria americana var. elliptica K.Schum. in C.F.P.von Martius & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Bras. 12(3): 65 (1886)
Waltheria americana var. glandulosa R.E.Fr. in Kongl. Svenska Vetensk. Acad. Handl., n.f., 42(12): 14 (1908)
Waltheria americana var. sahelica Roberty in Bull. Inst. Fondam. Afrique Noire, Sér. A, Sci. Nat. 15: 1403 (1953)
Waltheria americana var. subspicata K.Schum. (1900)
Waltheria angustifolia L. in Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2: 1140 (1759)
Waltheria arborescens Cav. in Diss. 6: 316 (1788)
Waltheria corchorifolia Pers. in Syn. Pl. 2: 216 (1806)
Waltheria debilis Bojer in Hortus Maurit.: 39 (1837)
Waltheria elliptica Cav. (1788)
Waltheria erioclada DC. in Prodr. 1: 493 (1824)
Waltheria guineensis Schumach. & Thonn. (1827)
Waltheria indica var. americana (L.) R.Br. ex Hosaka in Occas. Pap. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Mus. 13: 224 (1937)
Waltheria indica var. prostrata (K.Schum.) M.Gómez in Dicc. Bot. Nom. Vulg. Cub. Puerto-Riquenos: 71 (1889)
Waltheria laxa Thulin in Nordic J. Bot. 19: 13 (1999)
Waltheria makinoi Hayata in J. Bot. (Morot) 22: 61 (1906)
Waltheria martii Colla in Herb. Pedem. 1: 433 (1833)
Waltheria obtusa Willd. ex Steud. in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2. 2: 783 (1841)
Waltheria paniculata Benth. in J. Bot. (Hooker) 4: 126 (1841)
Waltheria pauciflora Hochst. ex Mast. in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 235 (1868)
Waltheria pedunculata Willd. ex Steud. (1841)
Waltheria prostrata K.Schum. (1886)
Waltheria wildii Suess. in Trans. Rhodesia Sci. Assoc. 43: 33 (1951)

PUBLICATIONS

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VERNACULAR NAME

Afrikans: Meidebossie
Chinese (simplified): 蛇婆子
Chinese (traditional): 草梧桐 - 蛇婆子 和他草 滿地毯
Czech: Walterie obecná
English: Sleepy morning, Uhaloa
Finnish: Intiansamettio
Hong Kong: 蛇婆子 和他草 滿地毯
Indonesia: Wiri wiri, Uhaloa
Japanese: コバンバノキ
Java: Wiri wiri
Kannada: Ottatti gidda
Macao: 蛇婆子 和他草 滿地毯
Ndebele: Isikolanjiba
Portuguese: Malva-branca
Russian: Вальтерия индийская
Sepedi: Mokhutasela
Sesotho: Lexutasela
Setwana: Seretwane
Shangaan: Simbongana
Slovak: Valteria americká
Sotho: Lexutasela
South Africa: Meidebossie
Spanish: Tapacola, Tapón
Subiya: Idarere
Taiwan: 草梧桐
Tamil: செங்கலிப்பூண்டு Sengalipundu
Tshivenda: Delelemukula
Tswana: Motswalakgoro, Pookhunung, Sekoba, Serathane, Serethwane, Seretlhwane, Seretlwana, Seretlwane, Seretwane
Zulu: Uqonsi ubangalala

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