Characteristics of Caesarweed Trees (Urena lobata) in the Wild

Caesarweed or Congo jute (Urena lobata) is a species of perennial shrub that is considered a difficult weed to eradicate. Caesarweed is widespread in almost all tropical plains, including in Florida, Brazil, and throughout Southeast Asia.

Caesarweed can grow in areas that are experiencing ecological disturbances and eroded places, riverbanks, village roadsides, and abandoned lands.

 

Characteristics of Caesarweed Leaf

Leaves broad, ovate, angular or slightly lobed, lacking, truncated or heart-shaped at base, crenate, with small stellate pubescence.

 

Characteristics of Caesarweed Flower

The flowers are solitary or slightly in the leaf axils, purple, about 5-6 mm long, subsessile or with flower stalks 7 mm long, hemophilic calyces, and 5 lobes

 

Characteristics of Caesarweed Fruit

Fruit oblate, 8-9 mm in diameter, stellate pubescent with many glochid spines, 5 cardiac, and not broken.

 

Characteristics of Caesarweed Tree

Caesarweed grows as a shrub with a height of 1-2 meters and many branches.

Extracts from this plant can be used to make herbal medicines that have properties to treat diuretic, antipyretic, cure gonorrhea, toothache, and antibacterial.

In Europe, caesarweed is called Aguaxima and in Indonesia, it is known as Pulutan.