Wild plants | Weeds - Green Cover Initiative

Dicranopteris linearis

Family: Gleicheniaceae
Common name: Old world forked fern, False staghorn fern, Common fern, Linear fern, Dilim
Old world forked fern is a very common species of fern distributed across Southeast Asian countries, South America, and Caribbean. Read more >>

Pontederia crassipes

Family: Pontederiaceae
Common name: Water hyacinth, Common water hyacinth, Lilac devil
Water hyacinth is a very common but invasive aquatic plant seen in ponds, rivers, lakes and other freshwater bodies in tropical countries. Read more >>

Pandanus kaida

Family: Pandanaceae
Common name: Kaida, False pineapple
Kaida is a beautiful and sturdy plant found very commonly along the coast in India, Sri Lanka and other Southeast Asian countries. Read more >>

Hyptis capitata

Family: Lamiaceae
Common name: False ironwort, Knobweed
False ironwort is an erect, annual shurb that grows in the wild, and hence this plant is considered invasive in many parts of the world. Read more >>

Xenostegia tridentata

Family: Convolvulaceae
Common name: Arrow-leaf morning glory, African morning vine, Thalaneeli
Arrow-leaf morning glory is a quick-growing climbing or recumbent vine with small, white flowers, seen in tropical countries. Read more >>

Mimosa diplotricha

Family: Fabaceae
Common name: Giant sensitive plant, Creeping sensitive plant, Giant false sensitive plant, Spiny mimosa, Nila grass
Giant sensitive plant is a creeping bush that can grow very quickly covering large areas of unoccupied land. Read more >>

Cuscuta pentagona

Family: Convolvulaceae
Common name: Fiveangled dodder, Cuscuta, Field dodder
Cuscuta is a dreaded parasitic plant that has very unique systems to suck nutrients and water from the host plant it stays on. Read more >>

Datura metel

Family: Solanaceae
Common name: Indian thorn apple, Devil’s trumpet, Horn of plenty, Purple Thorn-Apple, Datura
Devil’s trumpet is a herbaceous short-lived plant notorious for its deadly toxicity in roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Read more >>

Melochia corchorifolia

Family: Malvaceae
Common name: Chocolate weed, Redweed, Wirebush, Corchous mallow
Chocolate weed is a herbaceous weed commonly seen in backyards, open areas, and undisturbed land, producing delicate, pretty, pink flowers. Read more >>

Cleome viscosa

Family: Cleomaceae
Common name: Asian spiderflower, Tick weed, Cleome, Dog mustard, Wild mustard, Yellow cleome, Arivela viscosa
Asian spiderflower is a herbaceous weed with beautiful yellow flowers, growing in tropical countries of Asia, Africa, and South America. Read more >>

Wollastonia biflora

Family: Asteraceae
Common name: Sea daisy, Beach sunflower, Beach daisy, Sea ox-eye
Sea Daisy is a resilient, salt-tolerant plant found in the coastal regions of tropical and subtropical countries of Asia, Africa, and South America. Read more >>

Parsonsia alboflavescens

Family: Apocynaceae
Common name: Spiral-vined silkpod
Spiral-vined silkpod is a unique climber seen in the wild in tropical and subtropical countries of India and Australia, known for its hairy seeds. Read more >>

Rhynchoglossum obliquum

Family: Gesneriaceae
Common name: Small-flowered tongue lip, Small Flowered Rhynchoglossum, Kalu thali
Small-flowered tongue lip is a wildflower seen in multiple places in India, noticeable for its dark blue two-lipped flowers and asymmetrical leaves. Read more >>

Clerodendrum chinense

Family: Lamiaceae
Common name: Chinese glory bower, Glory bower, Wild jasmine, Stick bush, Glory flower, Fragrant clerodendrum, Cashmere bouquet
Chinese glory bower is a beautiful flowering plant that produces bouquets of pristine white flowers. Read more >>

Justicia gendarussa

Family: Acanthaceae
Common name: Willow-leaved justicia, Warer Willow, Daun Rusa, Karunochi, Vathakodi, Vatham kolli
Willow-leaved Justicia is a tropical shrub native to India, used for many herbal and Ayurvedic medicinal preparations. Read more >>

Grangea maderaspatana

Family: Asteraceae
Common name: Madras carpet, Nilampala, Maasipatre, Nelampala, Mukhatari, Mustaru
Madras carpet is a small, widespread weed native to India and South East Asia, and also few South African countries. Read more >>

Solanum seaforthianum

Family: Solanaceae
Common name: Brazilian nightshade, Climbing nightshade, Italian jasmine, Potato creeper
Brazilian nightshade is a climbing vine that can be recognized easily by its beautiful lavender flowers and bright red berries. Read more >>

Ipomoea obscura

Family: Convolvulaceae
Common name: Obscure morning glory, Small white morning glory, Wild petunia, Lesser glory, Tiruthali, Cheruthali, Lakshmana
Obscure morning glory is a weed commonly seen on roadsides, grasslands, disturbed areas, coastal regions, agricultural land, forest edges. Read more >>

Merremia vitifolia

Family: Convolvulaceae
Common name: Grape-leaf Wood Rose, Manja vayaravalli, Manja kolambi valli, Navli, Grape glory
Grape leaf wood rose is a quick-growing invasive climber that is very commonly seen in the wild in different parts of India. Read more >>

Rubus ulmifolius

Family: Rosaceae
Common name: Elmleaf blackberry, Thornless blackberry, European blackberry, Bramble
Elmleaf blackberry is a vigorous, scrambling shrub forming dense thickets with long, arching steams, about 3 to 5 meters long. Read more >>

Opuntia robusta

Family: Cactaceae
Common names: Prickly pear, Wheel cactus, Blue prickly pear, Silver dollar prickly pear
Prickly pear is a very common, shrubby cactus that usually grows 1-3 meters tall and wide, forming large clumps, spreading over large areas. Read more >>

Arachis pintoi

Family: Fabaceae
Common names: Pinto peanut, Perennial peanut, Yellow peanut plant, Forage peanut
Pinto peanut is a low-growing, groundcover plant that spreads by creeping stems which root at the nodes, reaching 10–20 cm in height. Read more >>

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