Sticky Purple Cleome

Cleome hirta

Cleome hirta from Kenya, photo © by Michael Plagens

Photographed near Lake Baringo, Kenya. Oct. 2016.

The example shown here was a very robust plant close to two meters with several heavy stems and was growing in a sandy drainage channel. The leaves and foliage are covered with glandular hairs. These plants are also known as "Mouse-Whiskers" because of the many long stamens. The leaves are palmately compound with from 5 to 10 narrow leaflets. Many seeds are inside each of the long slender pods.

Cleome hirta from Kenya, photo © by Michael Plagens  Cleome in Nairobi, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens  Cleome in Nairobi, Kenya, photo © Michael Plagens

Capparaceae -- Caper Family

More Information:


Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created on 4 Jan. 2017.