''Tribulus'' is a genus of plants in the family

Zygophyllaceae Zygophyllaceae is a family of flowering plants that contains the bean-caper and caltrop. The family includes around 285 species in 22 genera. Plants in the family Zygophyllaceae may be trees, shrubs, or herbs. They are often found in dry habit ...

and found in diverse climates and soils worldwide from

latitude In geography, latitude is a geographic coordinate system, geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from −90° at t ...

s 35°S to 47°N. The best-known member is '' T. terrestris'' (puncture vine), a widespread

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

and weed. ''Tribulus'' species are

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

, but some grow as annuals in colder climates. The

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are opposite and compound. The

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s are perfect (hermaphroditic) and insect-pollinated, with fivefold symmetry. The ovary is divided into

locule A locule (: locules) or loculus (; : loculi) is a small cavity or compartment within an organ or part of an organism (animal, plant, or fungus). In angiosperms (flowering plants), the term ''locule'' usually refers to a chamber within an ovary ...

s that are in turn divided by "false septa" (the latter distinguish ''Tribulus'' from other members of its family). Some species are cultivated as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

s in warm regions. Some, notably '' T. cistoides'', '' T. longipetalus'', '' T. terrestris,'' and '' T. zeyheri'', are considered

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it conflicts with human preferences, needs, or goals.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. Pla ...

s. '' Tribulus'' is the national flower of

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

. Thirteen species of ''Tribulus'' are accepted by

The Plant List The Plant List was a list of botanical names of species of plants created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Missouri Botanical Garden and launched in 2010. It was intended to be a comprehensive record of all known names of plant specie ...

, but there are many names still unresolved and needing further study.

List of accepted species

(According to Plants of the world online) #'' Tribulus adelacanthus'' R.M.Barker #'' Tribulus arabicus'' Hosni #'' Tribulus astrocarpus'' F.Muell. #'' Tribulus bimucronatus'' Viv. #'' Tribulus cistoides'' L. #'' Tribulus cristatus'' C.Presl #'' Tribulus echinops'' Kers #'' Tribulus eichlerianus'' K.L.Wilson #'' Tribulus excrucians'' Wawra #'' Tribulus forrestii'' F.Muell. #'' Tribulus hirsutus''

Benth. George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

#'' Tribulus hystrix'' R.Br. #'' Tribulus incanus'' Hosni #'' Tribulus kaiseri'' Hosni #'' Tribulus macrocarpus'' F.Muell. ex

#'' Tribulus macropterus'' Boiss. #'' Tribulus megistopterus'' Kralik #'' Tribulus micrococcus'' Domin #'' Tribulus minutus'' Leichh. ex

#'' Tribulus mollis'' Ehrenb. ex Schweinf. #'' Tribulus occidentalis'' R.Br. #'' Tribulus omanense'' Hosni #'' Tribulus parvispinus'' C.Presl #'' Tribulus pentandrus'' Forssk. #'' Tribulus platypterus''

#'' Tribulus ranunculiflorus'' F.Muell. #'' Tribulus securidocarpus''

Engl. Engl or Engl. may refer to: *England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more ...

#'' Tribulus spurius'' Kralik #'' Tribulus suberosus'' H.Eichler ex R.M.Barker #'' Tribulus subramanyamii'' P.Singh, G.S.Giri & V.Singh #''

Tribulus terrestris ''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. It is native to warm temperate and t ...

'' L. #'' Tribulus zeyheri'' Sond.

Uses

''T. terrestris'' has been cultivated to inhibit

soil erosion Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the Topsoil, upper layer of soil. It is a form of soil degradation. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice (glaciers), snow, Atmosphere of Ea ...

and to improve soil moisture, texture, and water-holding capability in

desert A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...

s and barren lands. Although ''T. terrestris''

extract An extract (essence) is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures or absolutes or dried and powdered. The aromatic principles of ma ...

s have been used in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

and as a

dietary supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement a person's diet by taking a pill (pharmacy), pill, capsule (pharmacy), capsule, tablet (pharmacy), tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients eithe ...

for bodybuilders, there is no high-quality clinical evidence that it is effective or safe for these purposes.

References

External links

''Tribulus''
in BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database

from ''The Families of Flowering Plants'', L. Watson and M. J. Dallwitz {{Authority control Zygophyllales genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Plants described in 1753