Puncture Vine
Tribulus terrestris
Also known as Land Caltrops, Bullhead, Caltrop, Cat's-Head, Devil's-Thorn, Devil's-Weed, Goats Head, Land caltrops, Tribulus
About Puncture Vine
Tribulus terrestris is an annual plant in the caltrop family (Zygophyllaceae) widely distributed around the world. It is adapted to thrive in dry climate locations in which few other plants can survive, and is a highly invasive species. Native to warm temperate and tropical regions in southern Eurasia and Africa, it has been unintentionally introduced to North America and Australia. T. terrestris is widely known as a noxious weed because of its small woody fruit – the bur – having long sharp and strong spines which easily penetrate surfaces, such as bare feet or thin shoes of crop workers and other pedestrians, the rubber of bicycle tires, and the mouths and skin of grazing animals.
Description adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Tribulus terrestris
- Genus
- Tribulus
- Family
- ZYGOPHYLLACEAE
- Habit
- Herb
- Habitat
- Open deciduous forests
- Native to
- India
- Distribution
- Tropical and warm temperate regions of the world
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Local Names
- Hindi
- दूधिया भाजी Dudhiya Bhaji, गोखुरू Gokhuru, गोक्षुर Gokshura
- Nepali
- गोखुर Gokhur
- Bengali
- গোক্ষুর Gokshura, গোক্ষুর
- Tamil
- அக்கிலு Akkilu, அக்கினி Akkini, அச்சுரம் Accuram
- Telugu
- చిన్న పల్లేరు Chinna Palleru, చిరు పల్లేరు Chiru Palleru, నీరుంజి Nirunji
- Kannada
- ನೆಗ್ಗಿಲು Neggilu, ನೆರಿಗಿಲು Nerigilu, ಸಣ್ಣ ನೆಗ್ಗಿಲು Sanna Neggilu
- Malayalam
- ചെറിയ ഞെരിഞ്ഞിൽ Cheriya-Njeringil, ഞെരിഞ്ഞിൽ Njeringil, വയൽച്ചുള്ളി Vayalchulli
- Marathi
- गोखरू Gokharu, काटे गोखरू Kate Gokharu, गोक्षुर Gokshura
Zygophyllaceae
Caltrop Family
Puncture Vine belongs to the Zygophyllaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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