Common name: Horn-fruited jute. Tamil Name:
Horn-fruited jute is a woody small sub-shrub (grows to around 3 feet in height) of African origin, naturalized in many parts of the world. The plant is often seen on road-sides and fallow lands in Tamilnadu. Occasionally planted for its edible leaves. The stem of the plant has reddish patches; the simple leaves are arranged in an alternate manner. The leaf margin is crenate; the lower teeth of the leaf margin are seen in hairy appendages. The leaf shape is oblong-elliptic with an acute apex. Most parts of the plant are glabrous. The leaf stalk and leaf measure around 8 mm and 4 cm respectively. The inflorescence is in the form of a few flowering cyme with flowers held close to the branch. The flowers are yellow in color. The fruit is in the form of a long capsule which can measure around 3 cm. The fruit is 3 toothed at the tip. The capsule encloses several seeds which are brown in color. C tridents looks very similar to C aestuans. The main difference to note is that the fruit of C aestuans will be winged.
