Botany
A plant with spreading and prostrate branches and leaves divided in 3 leaflets. Flowers are small, violet-blue, 5 mm long, borne on long stalks from the leaf axil of the flowering stems. Fruit is cylindrical and curved, about 5 cm long, with numerous round, reddish-brown to black seeds, 1.5 mm diameter with barred surfaces.

Distribution
Recently introduced; now aggressively spreading on waysides, farmlands and gardens.

Properties and constituents
Phytochemical studies showed the presence of tannins, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides; alkaloids, steroids, pentose and reducing sugars. source

Parts utilized:
Roots and leaves.

Uses
Folkloric
Abortifacient

Studies
• Diuretic / Antibacterial: Study of crude aqueous extract showed CR to possess significant dose-dependent diuretic activity and antibacterial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria.
• Diuretic / Laxative: Study of CR showed signigicant diuretic effect and well as dose-dependent laxative effect.
• Analgesic / Antipyretic / Antiinflammatory: Study of ethanolic extract showed significant analgesic, antiinflammatory and antipyretic activity.
• Nutritional Composition: Flour from the seeds of Cleome rutidosperma revealed alkaloids, steroids, pentose and reducing sugars. It also contained tannins, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides. The major mineral contents were potassium, sodium and calcium. Results suggest a potential use as human food or incorporation into livestock feed.
• Analgesic / Locomotor Activity Effect : Crude methanol, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of Cleome rutidosperma all showed significant analgesic and depressed locomotor activity compared to control treatment with morphine treatment, aspirin and chlorpromazine,.

Availability
Wild-crafted.