Plant · GBIF taxon 3085168
Devil's Horsewhip
Achyranthes asperaAlso known as Prickly Chaff Flower, Chaff-flower, Apamarga, Jarong
Devil's Horsewhip produces erect, spiky flower heads lined with rigid, downward-pointing bracts that latch onto passing fur, feathers, and clothing with remarkable tenacity. This aggressive hitchhiking adaptation allows the plant to quickly colonize disturbed soils, roadsides, and tropical island ecosystems across the globe. Traditional medicine systems across South Asia have long utilized its roots and seeds, while habitat managers often work to control its invasive spread in native communities.
InvasiveWeedTropical
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Browsing Livestock
- Goats
- Caterpillars
ThreatsInvasive species management programs, land clearing
HabitatsDisturbed ground, roadsides, pastures, forest margins, coastal scrub
Life span1–3 years (Annual or Short-lived Perennial)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAmaranthaceae
- SpeciesAchyranthes aspera
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance; sharp seed spikes can cling aggressively to clothing and skin.
Responsible observation
- Clothing Caution: Wear tightly woven fabrics or long pants when walking near patches to prevent stiff seed bracts from lodging into socks.
- Identification Tip: Look for long, erect flowering spikes where mature flowers bend downward while young buds point upward.
- Dispersal Control: Remove attached seed heads immediately and dispose of them in trash bins to prevent spreading seeds into clean areas.
Close Relative Close Relative Threatened Relative 
Family Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子 · cc0
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