Tuesday 28 May 2013

Urena lobata - Pulut-Pulut


Urena lobata is an annual shrub of the family Malvaceae.  It is widely distributed in the tropics, probably of Asiatic origin.
  
Urena lobata’s flowers are about 2-3cm diameter, 5-merous, with brilliant pink petals, almost similar to those of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, only smaller.   The fruits are partially spherical schizocarp, 5-compartment, barbed.

In Malaysia, it is known as pulut-pulut, or pulut lembu.  It grows on wastelands as well as cultivated lands as weeds.  It has been declared a noxious weed in Fiji.  The stem fibers are used for making carpets and rope in Brazil and Zaire.




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