| Etymology | Genus | Elephant's foot |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Rough; referring to the texture of the plant | |
| Family | Asteraceae | |
| Synonyms | Elephantopus carolinensis G.Mey., Elephantopus sordidus Salisb. | |
| Common Names | Elephant's Foot | |
| Status | Undetermined | |
| Form | Herb | |
| Native Distribution | Tropical America, Africa, Asia, Australia | |
Diagnostics:
Elephantopus scaber is a common weed among lawns. It has dark green elongated leaves arranged in a rosette at the base. The leaf margins are uneven or serrated. A flowering stem extends out where it ends with 3 bracts holding the purple flowers.
Interesting Facts:
The Elephant's Foot's leaves and roots are widely used traditionally as used as a tonic, expulsion of intestinal worms, diuretic, febrifuge, and as a cough remedy (Globinmed, 2010).
Flowering stalks of the Elephant's Foot emerging from the lawn.
Form of the Elephant's Foot.
Leaves are arranged in a rosette.
Close-up of the flowers subtended by 3 bracts.
References
Globinmed. (2010) Elephantopus scaber. Global Information Hub on Integrated Science, Institute of Medical Research, Ministry of Health, Malaysia. http://www.globinmed.com. Accessed on 19-Apr-2014.Author: Jake
Posted: 2014-04-19 / Modified: 2017-12-25