Striga asiatica
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64404e3291958178323620 |
| Scientific name | Striga asiatica |
| Authority | (L.) Kuntze |
| First published in | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 466 (1891) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
Suggest a correction!
Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Striga asiatica, the parasitic weed called witchweed in Africa and Asia, is best known as a persistent field pest, yet several cultures have noted modest medicinal infusions and poultices. In Lesotho, people occasionally prepare a tea from the whole plant to ease coughs, fevers, and dysentery (Moteetee & Russell, South African Journal of Botany, 2016). In parts of eastern India and Bengal, the plant is known as Banupasra and has been recorded as a home remedy in which decoctions of aerial parts are taken for fevers, colds, and stomachaches (Rashid, Bangladesh Journal of Botany, 2017). In Kenya, dried aerial parts have been used in occasional infusions for malaria-like fevers (Githae & Barnard, PROTA Monographs, 2016). These records center on infusions and decoctions rather than complex preparations or widespread ritual use, reflecting pragmatic experimentation alongside the plant’s much more common association as a field weed.
A practical, mild preparation would be a simple infusion: steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried aerial parts in 250 ml of near-boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, strain, and drink in small amounts. If a stronger preparation is desired, use a 1:5 w/v ethanol tincture made by macerating 1 part of dried aerial parts in 5 parts of 45% ethanol for two weeks, shaking daily, then pressing and filtering (Kumara et al., Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 2015). Do not exceed one small teacup per day, avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and stop if dizziness or nausea occurs. The plant is generally regarded as having low palatability and may contain potentially toxic iridoids; wild plants harvested near treated fields may carry herbicide residues, so harvest only from clean sites.
Well-established constituents for Striga asiatica include iridoid glycosides such as aucubin and geniposide, alongside phenolic acids like caffeic acid and flavonoids such as luteolin and quercetin (Kumara et al., Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, 2015; Githae & Barnard, PROTA Monographs, 2016). These classes of compounds offer antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions that plausibly underpin reported fever and gastrointestinal relief, while acknowledging that concentrations vary with season and site.
Although recognized primarily as an agricultural problem, the species continues to appear in small-scale ethnobotanical notes and is occasionally marketed regionally as a “bitter tea.” Contemporary research is still mapping its phytochemistry, safety, and ecological management (Githae & Barnard, 2016), highlighting both the need for careful documentation and the persistence of traditional use alongside its weed status.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Industrial and craft applications:
- Model organism in weed science and parasitic plant biology; used in laboratory and field studies of germination ecology, seed-bank dynamics, host specificity, and control strategies (no common commercial products derived from the plant).
Properties relevant to use:
- Dust-like seeds (approx. 0.2–0.3 mm) with long dormancy and brief viability window; longevity and persistence in soil.
- Low seed reserves, making seedling establishment dependent on rapid host attachment; germination requires exposure to host-derived stimulants (strigolactones) and may be induced by red light; chemosensory detection of host exudates enables precise radicle growth toward host roots.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Striga zangebarica | Klotzsch | Naturw. Reise Mossambique 6(1): t. 35 (1861) |
| Striga coccinea | (Hook.) Benth. | Compan. Bot. Mag. 1: 364 (1836) |
| Striga pusilla | Hochst. ex Benth. | Prodr. 10: 503 (1846) |
| Striga phoenicea | Benth. | Scroph. Ind. : 40 (1835) |
| Striga hirsuta | (Benth.) Benth. | Prodr. 10: 502 (1846) |
| Striga parvula | Miq. | J. Bot. Néerl. 1: 113 (1861) |
| Striga eustriga | Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 2: 546 (1841) |
| Buchnera aquatica | Wight ex Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 1: 234 (1840) |
| Buchnera asiatica | L. | Sp. Pl. : 630 (1753) |
| Buchnera coccinea | Benth. | Scroph. Ind. : 40 (1835) |
| Campuleia coccinea | Hook. | Exot. Fl. 3(32): t. 203. 1826 [Mar 1826] |
| Striga lutea var. bicolor | Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 3(3): 240 1898 |
| Striga hirsuta var. humilis | Benth. | Prodr. 10: 503 1846 |
| Striga asiatica var. humilis | (Benth.) D.Y.Hong | Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 67(2): 359, 405. 1979 |
| Striga asiatica var. coccinea | (Hook.) Bennet | Indian J. Forest. 5: 327 (1982) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | asiatic witchweed |
| English | red witchweed |
| English | witchweed |
| Chinese | 独脚柑 |
| Chinese | 独脚金 |
| Chinese | 干草 |
| Chinese | 矮脚子 |
| Chinese | 獨腳金 |
| Chinese | 獨脚金 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
-
Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Ethiopia
- Socotra
- Somalia
- Sudan
-
Northern Africa
- Egypt
-
South Tropical Africa
- Angola
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
Southern Africa
- Botswana
- Cape Provinces
- Free State
- Kwazulu-Natal
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- Northern Provinces
- Swaziland
-
West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Mali
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
-
West-central Tropical Africa
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Gabon
- Rwanda
- Zaïre
-
Western Indian Ocean
- Aldabra
- Chagos Archipelago
- Comoros
- Madagascar
- Mauritius
- Mozambique Channel Islands
- Rodrigues
- Réunion
- Seychelles
-
East Tropical Africa
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
Arabian Peninsula
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- Yemen
-
Arabian Peninsula
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Malesia
- Jawa
-
Malesia
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Southeastern U.S.A.
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
-
Southeastern U.S.A.
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001136610 |
| USDA Plants | STAS2 |
| Tropicos | 29200215 |
| INPN | 706841 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:809994-1 |
| The Plant List | tro-29200215 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 648846 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 4170 |
| Nature Serve | 2.150772 |
| IPNI | 809994-1 |
| iNaturalist | 169410 |
| GBIF | 3171161 |
| Freebase | /m/0264v24 |
| EPPO | STRLU |
| EOL | 484668 |
| US Library of Congress | sh2006006545 |
| USDA GRIN | 102305 |
| Wikipedia | Striga_asiatica |
| CMAUP | NPO10968 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_008636005.1 | SGA_v2.0 | Scaffold | Graduate School of Biological Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology | 2019-09-20 | 143 | 449.72 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Lupin alkaloids / Sparteine, lupanine, and related alkaloids | |||||
| (+)-Lupanine | 91471 | Click to see | 248.36 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (+)-Sparteine | 7014 | Click to see | 234.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (1R,2R,9R,10S,12S)-12-hydroxy-7,15-diazatetracyclo[7.7.1.02,7.010,15]heptadecan-6-one | 12310677 | Click to see | 264.36 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (1R,2R,9R,10S)-7,15-diazatetracyclo[7.7.1.02,7.010,15]heptadecan-6-one | 6575009 | Click to see | 248.36 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3beta-Hydroxy-13alpha-tigloyloxylupanine | 14589027 | Click to see CC=C(C)C(=O)OC1CCN2CC3CC(C2C1)CN4C3CCC(C4=O)O | 362.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 7,14-Methano-2H,6H-dipyrido[1,2-a:1',2'-E][1,5]diazocin-6-one, dodecahydro-, [7R-(7alpha,7aalpha,14alpha,14abeta)]- | 51018055 | Click to see C1CCN2CC3CC(C2C1)C(=O)N4C3CCCC4 | 248.36 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Genisteine | 92759 | Click to see | 234.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Pusilline | 6101950 | Click to see C1CCN2CC3CC(C2C1)CN4C3CCCC4 | 234.38 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Phenethylamines | |||||
| Tyramine | 5610 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1CCN)O | 137.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Benzenediols / Catechols / Catecholamines and derivatives | |||||
| Deoxyepinephrine | 4382 | Click to see CNCCC1=CC(=C(C=C1)O)O | 167.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Diterpenoids / C19-gibberellins / C19-gibberellin 6-carboxylic acids | |||||
| (1S,2S,3S,5S,8R,9S,10R,11S,12S)-3,12-dihydroxy-11-methyl-6-methylidene-16-oxo-15-oxapentacyclo[9.3.2.15,8.01,10.02,8]heptadecane-9-carboxylic acid | 21596345 | Click to see | 348.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Tetraterpenoids / Carotenoids / Carotenes | |||||
| xi-Carotene | 5280788 | Click to see | 540.90 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Tetraterpenoids / Carotenoids / Xanthophylls | |||||
| all-trans-Neoxanthin | 5281247 | Click to see | 600.90 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| 17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 86821 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50039A027 |
| Stigmast-5-en-3-ol | 22012 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50039A027 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones | |||||
| Apigenin | 5280443 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 270.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50039A027 |
| Luteolin | 5280445 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)O | 286.24 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50039A027 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| Isoquercetin | 5280804 | Click to see | 464.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 3-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Chrysoeriol | 5280666 | Click to see | 300.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50039A027 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 4-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Acacetin | 5280442 | Click to see | 284.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50039A027 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 7-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Ladanein | 3084066 | Click to see | 314.29 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50039A027 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / Isoflav-2-enes / Isoflavones | |||||
| Orobol | 5281801 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=COC3=CC(=CC(=C3C2=O)O)O)O)O | 286.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 3-O-methylated isoflavonoids / 3-O-methylisoflavones | |||||
| 3'-O-Methylorobol | 5319744 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C2=COC3=CC(=CC(=C3C2=O)O)O)O | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 4-O-methylated isoflavonoids / 3-hydroxy,4-methoxyisoflavonoids | |||||
| 4'-Methoxy-3',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone | 5281803 | Click to see | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |