Melochia corchorifolia L.

Chocolate Weed

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Chocolate Weed is an introduced annual or perennial herbaceous subshrub in the Hibiscus family (Malvaceae). It is believed to be native to eastern and southern Africa through southern Asia to Australia. It is now a pantropical weed occurring in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. It Alabama it occurs throughout the state, but is most common in the southern half. Chocolate Weed occurs in fields, on roadsides, and in disturbed areas. It is an herbaceous annual or perennial from a woody taproot. Stems are erect or prostrate, reddish in color, and stellate pubescent. They range in length from 2-8 feet. The stems are tough and fibrous. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, ovate to lanceolate in outline, and doubly serrate. Simple hairs occur along the major veins on the lower surface of the leaf. Flowers are produced in terminal head-like cymes. There are many linear bracts among the flowers. Each flower 5 green united toothed sepals. The flower has 5 pink, purple, or white petals. The petals are yellow in the throat of the flower. The fruit is a 5-locular globose schizocarp. The cooked leaves of Chocolate Weed are eaten as a vegetable in Africa. Fibers obtained from the stems are made into twine and rope. Several parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine. This species was until recently placed in the Chocolate family (Sterculiaceae).--A. Diamond

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Not Native FAC (NWPL)

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