Synonymes : Senebiera didyma Pers., S. pinnatifidus Dulac
Common name : Swinecress
Common name in Hindi : Pitpapra
Common name in Urdu : Jangli halon
Bangla English Hindi Urdu
Diagnostic characters
Biology
Ecology and distribution
Nuisance
Weed control
Botany
Uses/Remark
References
The swine cress is a small and annual herb developed in rosette on the ground, of dark green tint. It loosens a strong and unpleasant smell when it is creased.The stem lies on the ground then raised. It is hairy and very branched out, in the base especially.
Leaves are arranged alternately along the stem. They are much divided, terminal division being of greater size than lateral divisions.Flowers are small and green. They are regrouped in dense clusters, directly inserted on the stem.The fruit forms a small green ball consisted of two verrucose halves. It contains two seeds isolated by a constriction. It does not open in maturity or parts in two parts.In India, C. didymus has a luxuriant growth and succulence giving its palatability and nutritive value for animals. This weed has a level of crude protein comparable with the standard legumes grown for
The swine cress is an annual herb. It reproduces only by seeds that are moved by wind, water, in mud on the feet of birds, other animals and by various activities of man. The seeds are easily stimulated to germinate.
In cropping systems it appears in early and late season, but once established it seems to prosper whenever growing conditions are satisfactory. It is present on numerous grounds, generally clayey, wet, firmly packed or little structured.
In India, it is a principal weed of potatoes, carrots, lucerne, orchards, peas, sugar beets and wheat. It remains nevertheless little plentiful and weakly harmful.
- Chemical
2_4-D applied at 500 g/ha at flowering stage and at one week intervals for five weeks thereafter or Metsulfuron at 4 g/ha.
Habit
Annual, hairless plant, procumbent or raised, of tint green - dark, developed in bow in the base.
Roots
Tap root.
Stem
Cylindrical, full, very branched out, slept on the ground, measuring from 10 to 40cm. Pubescent to glabrescent.
Leaves
Elliptic in elongated, petiolated in the base, sessiles in the summit. Basal leaves simple, pinnately similar of compound leaves. Segments usually pinnatifided, sometimes lobed only on the upper edge. The upper leaves, smaller, may be sessile or short petioled and the basal long petioled. Long from 7 to 8cms and 2cm wide. Summit of the limb and lobes apiculated. Hairless faces.
Inflorescence
Small, white - greenish, gathered in brief and dense clusters or sessiles, in the axil of leaves. Perianth double consisted of 4 free, long sepals from 0,6 to 0,8mm, white - greenish; 4 petals, briefer than sepals, lengths about 0,5mm, or absent, white. Generally 2 stamens, sometimes 4; 2 carpels, 1 only stigma.
Fruit
Silicle 2-seeded rounded, verrucose and indented in the summit, indehiscent, or opening in 2 parts with kidney shape. Long from 1,4 to 1,7mm and wide from 2 to 3mm. Surface reticulated, rough.
Seeds
2 by silicle, egg-shaped - ellipsoid, brown, granular. Long from 0,5 to 1mm.
Seedling
Cotyledons with an average size from 10 to 16mm in length 1 in 2mm wide. Linear and a little widened in bludgeon in the summit, eased in petiole.
First two leaves generally linear and entire, rounded in the summit and eased in the base in a length petiole. In complete development, sometimes toothed and more rarely lobed. Following leaves divided, at first in 3 to 5 complete and narrow segments, then into numerous wide, cuneiform lateral segments, lobed and toothed. The terminal lobe is complete and of greater size than the lateral. Hairless faces.
- Le Bourgeois T., Jeuffrault E., Grard P., Carrara A. 2001. AdvenRun V.1.0. Les principales mauvaises herbes de La Réunion. CD-ROM. Cirad, SPV. France.
- Holm L., Doll J., Holm E., Pancho J., Herberger J. 1997. World weeds. Natural Histories and Distribution. John Wiley & Sons. New York.
- Nayyar M. M., Ashiq M. and Ahmad J. 2001. Manual on Punjab weeds (Part I). Directorate of Agronomy. Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad Pakistan.
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