Congo Jute
Urena lobata
In a forest edge at Kakamega Reserve, Kenya, Africa. Dec. 2014.
SUB-SHRUB: Leafy herb or slightly woody to 1½ meters tall.
FLOWERS: The flowers are pink to mauve with five relatively large petals. Stamen filaments fused into fleshy column.
LEAVES: The leaves in this example are very broad, but narrower leaves are possible; three or five wide lobes.
RANGE: Native to tropical Africa, but also found in tropical America and elsewhere.
FRUIT:Sphaerical and only about 3cm in diameter. Surface with bur-like projections.
UNARMED: No thorns.