Cleome gynandra (Sanskrit:Ajagandha, अजगन्धा ; Marathi:Tilavan, तिलवन ; Kenyan (Kisii):Chinsaga) is a species of cleome known by the common name Shona cabbage or African cabbage. It is an annual wildflower native to Africa but has become widespread in many tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. It is an erect, branching plant generally between 25 cm and 60 cm tall. Its sparse leaves are each made up of 3-5 oval-shaped leaflets. The flowers are white to rose pink . The seed is a brown 1.5mm diameter sphere. Nutrition analysis has found it to be high in certain nutrients including amino acids, vitamins and minerals as a result it forms an important part of diets in Southern Africa. A study has shown that Cleome gynandra uses NAD-malic enzyme type C4 photosynthesis and has the characteristic traits associated with this including changes in "leaf biochemistry, cell biology and development". Cleome gynandra is closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana (a C3 photosynthetic plant) in an evolutionary manner and therefore offers comparison with this well studied model plant. In Telugu, C. Gynandra is termed as Vaminta or Vayinta. In India, many tribes cook the leaves of this herb like any other leaf curry.
- http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantcd/cleomegyn.htm Cleome gynandra L.
- Marshall, D.M., Muhaidat, R., Brown, N.J., Liu, Z., Stanley, S., Griffiths, H.G., Sage, R.F., Hibberd, J.M. (2007) Cleome, a genus closely related to Arabidopsis, contains species spanning a developmental progression from C3 to C4 photosynthesis. Plant Journal, 51: 886-896
- USDA-NRCS: Invasive and noxious weeds
- Cleome gynandra: Plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER))