Bristly Starbur, goat's head , star burr,Texas cockspur, upright starbur
Synonym(s)
:
Acanthospermum humile Eggers
Family
:
Asteraceae
General Info
Description
Stems erect, 2-8 dm long, diffusely branched, pubescent with long, spreading and also short, appressed hairs. Leaves elliptic to ovate, 2-10 cm long, 1-7 cm wide, with glands on lower surface, margins serrate to subentire, gradually narrowed to base, sessile. Heads 4-5 mm in diameter at anthesis. Burs cuneate, strongly compressed, 4-7 mm long, the ribs bearing 1-2 rows of hooked prickles 1-2 mm long, the 2 apical prickles stout, curved or straight, 3-4 mm long." (Wagner et al., 1999).
Herb Effects
Antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal (essential leaf oil), diuretic and sudorific
Acanthospermol-B-galactosidopyranoside, melampolide and cis-cis-germacranolides (plant)
Pharmacology
Medicinal Use
Skin diseases (plant paste) and fever (leaf juice), leprosy and blennorrhagia.
Reference
Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.
Summerfield A. Keil GM. Mettenleiter TC. Rziha HJ. Saalmuller A. Antiviral activity of an extract from leaves of the tropical plant Acanthospermum hispidum. Antiviral Res 1997 Sep. Smith, N. M. Weeds of the wet/dry tropics of Australia - A field guide. Environmental Centre NT, Inc. p. 56. 2002. Wagner W.L. D.R. Herbst and S.H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai‘i. Revised edition. University of Hawai‘i Press, Honolulu. p. 252.
Health Remedies 
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