Aghara / Devil's Horse Whip
Achyranthes aspera
Also known as Prickly Chaff Flower, Rough Chaff
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh & more
- Flowering
- September-April
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Achyranthes aspera
- Genus
- Achyranthes
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Distribution
- Tropics of the World
- Found in India
- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Rajasthan
- Flowering & fruiting
- September-April
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Recorded for Aghara.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Amaranthaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- अघाड़ा Aghara, अपामार्ग Apamarga, चिरचिरा Chirchira
- Nepali
- अकमारो Akamaro, अपामार्ग Apaamaarg, दतिवन Datiwan
- Bengali
- অপামার্গ Apamarga, আপাং Apang
- Tamil
- ஆகாடம் Akatam, அபாமார்க்கம் Apamarkkam, நாயுரீஇ Nay-Urii
- Telugu
- అంటీశ Antish, అపామార్గము Apamaargamu, దుబ్బిన చెట్టు Dubbinachettu
- Kannada
- ಉತ್ತರಾಣಿ Uttarani
- Malayalam
- വൻകടലാടി Vankadalaadi
- Marathi
- अघाडा Aghada, अपामार्ग Apamarga, खरमंजरी Kharamanjari
- Gujarati
- અઘેડો
Aghara in India
Apamarg is the burr-bearing weed whose seeds cling to clothes and fur — अघाड़ा Aghara (Hindi), ஆகாடம் Akatam (Tamil), అంటీశ Antish (Telugu), ಉತ್ತರಾಣಿ Uttarani (Kannada), വൻകടലാടി Vankadalaadi (Malayalam), अघाडा Aghada (Marathi). Achyranthes aspera is recorded across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Rajasthan, on roadsides, hedges and waste ground.
Uses
It is an important herb in Ayurveda, used in attributed traditional preparations and in rituals (its twigs feature in some homas) — described for information, not medical advice. The ash of the plant has been used traditionally as a tooth powder and salt substitute.
How to Identify Aghara
An erect, wiry herb with stiff, opposite oval leaves. Its signature is the long, slender flowering spike up which small greenish flowers turn downward and stick out as sharp, clinging burrs that catch on clothing — the easiest way to recognise it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Devil's Horse Whip called in different Indian languages?
- अघाड़ा Aghara (Hindi); ஆகாடம் Akatam (Tamil); అంటీశ Antish (Telugu); ಉತ್ತರಾಣಿ Uttarani (Kannada); വൻകടലാടി Vankadalaadi (Malayalam); अघाडा Aghada (Marathi); অপামার্গ Apamarga (Bengali); અઘેડો (Gujarati).
- Why do apamarg seeds stick to clothes?
- Its flowers turn down into sharp, hooked burrs along the spike that latch onto clothing and animal fur, which is how the plant spreads its seed.
- What is apamarg used for?
- Apamarg is used in Ayurveda and in some rituals; its medicinal uses are traditional and attributed, not medical advice.
Amaranthaceae
Amaranth family
Aghara belongs to the Amaranthaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Amaranthaceae
View all Amaranthaceae →Sources: GBIF — Achyranthes aspera (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · iNaturalist — Achyranthes aspera (regional names, India observations) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Achyranthes aspera (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)