Triumfetta rhomboidea
(diamond burbark)

Preferred Common Name

• diamond burbark

Other Scientific Names

• Bartramia angulata Lam.
• Bartramia crispifolia Stokes
• Bartramia glandulosa Lam.
• Bartramia indica L.
• Bartramia lappago Gaertn.
• Bartramia rhombifolia Stokes
• Triumfetta glandulosa Lam.
• Triumfetta indica Lam.
• Triumfetta mollis Schumach. & Thonn.
• Triumfetta rhombeifolia Sw.
• Triumfetta riparia Hochst.
• Triumfetta trilocularis Roxb.
• Triumfetta vahlii Poir.
• Triumfetta velutina Vahl

International Common Names

• English: bur bush; bur weed; burr bush; burr weed; Chinese burr; hibiscus burr; triumfetta weed
• Spanish: cadillo
• French: herbe à paniers; herbe panier; hérisson blanc

Local Common Names

• American Samoa: manutofu; mautofu; mautofu vao
• Bangladesh: banokra; bon okra
• Brazil: amor do campo
• China: ci shuo ma
• Cook Islands: piripiri; purumu; vavai tara tita
• Cuba: guizazo de cochino
• Dominican Republic: cadillo chiquito; cadillo de burro,; cadillo de perro,
• East Africa: mchokochole; mchokochore; mfyokochore
• Fiji: joan ne pija; nggatima; nggatima ni vavalangi; qatima
• French Polynesia: aunehu; pilipili; pipili; piri piri; piripiri; piripiri takato; puehu; puehu pua pipii; punehe; punehu; punehu haoe; punehu haoé; pununehu; toceto; toketo; urio
• Guam: dadangsi; masiksik lahe
• India: agra; akra; bankathuthara; bon okhra; bun-ochra; chiki; chikti; chiriyari; horu-agra; kadu bende; karottai; oorpam; ottarai; ottu pullu; ottukayal
• Indonesia: galopang; pungpurutan
• Indonesia/Java: sukupan
• Jamaica: paroquet bur
• Kenya: murinda ungurue
• Lesser Antilles: mahot-cousin
• Malaysia: champadang; pulut-pulut
• Mayotte: pakavoa
• Micronesia: sacawer
• Myanmar: katsine-galay
• Nepal: bhende kuro; dalle kurro
• Niue: mosipo; motipo
• Pakistan: chikti
• Papua New Guinea: gavana; siponi
• Philippines: balanggót; bulagun; kollo-kolot; kolo-kolót; kulot-kulótan; kulutkulutan; moropoto; sauag-caballo
• South Africa: klitsbossie; tshimbvumbvu
• Thailand: po yumyuu; seng
• Tonga: mo‘osipo
• Trinidad and Tobago: cousine mahoe
• Vietnam: đay ké; gai đầu hình thoi; ké đay vàng; ké hoa vàng
• Zambia: mundambi; sindambe

• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Malvales
•                         Family: Tiliaceae
•                             Genus: Triumfetta
•                                 Species: Triumfetta rhomboidea

Triumfetta is the second largest genus of the subfamily Grewioideae in the Malvaceae. It comprises about 150 species distributed throughout tropical America, Africa, Asia and Australia (Lay, 1950; Bayer and Kubitzky, 2003). Triumfetta was previously included in the Tiliaceae, and can still be found in the literature under this family. However, based on phylogenetic studies, the genera of the former Tiliaceae are now included in several subfamilies of Malvaceae sensu lato. The majority of genera were moved to the Grewioideae, while other genera have been transferred to Brownlowioideae, Dombeyoideae, Tilioideae, and other families (Brunken and Muellner, 2012).

Triumfetta is in the tribe Apeibeae, and is sister to the neotropical genus Heliocarpus (Brunken and Muellner, 2012). The genus honors Giovanni Battista Triumfetti, a 17th century Italian physician and botanist. Many species of Triumfetta are weeds (Bayer and Kubitzky, 2003), which appears to be related to the presence of animal-dispersed, spiny fruits.

Triumfetta rhomboidea was originally described as Bartramia indica by Linnaeus, who later transferred it to the genus Triumfetta, but failed to make the correct combination of Triumfetta indica (L.) L., instead calling it T. bartramia. This combination cannot be made now because the epithet in Triumfetta is occupied by T. indica Lam. Therefore, Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. is the earliest available legitimate name for this species (Bornstein, 1989).

The following description is adapted from Lay (1950), Halford (1997) and Raju and Rani (2017):

Shrub 1-2 m high, sparingly to much-branched. Branches often reddish-brown, moderately to densely stellate-tomentose, with or without simple hairs. Leaves alternate, simple; stipules triangular, 1-6 mm long; petiole 2-9 cm long, stellate-tomentose, sometimes also with simple hairs; blade typically broadly ovate to rhombic-ovate, obscurely to distinctly 3-lobed, 4-13 × 3-11 cm, acute to abruptly acuminate at the apex, obtuse or rounded at the base, the margins irregularly serrate, 3-5-palminerved, discolorous, glabrate with few scattered stellate hairs to moderately pubescent on both surfaces, with or without simple hairs. Inflorescence a cyme of 3-5 cymules, axillary, often forming terminal interrupted spiciform inflorescences by reduction of subtending leaves; peduncles 1-4 mm, bracts narrowly ovate, 3-4 mm long, pedicels 1-4 mm. Flowers hermaphrodite; sepals 5, free, linear, deeply cucullate, each with a short appendage at the apex, 4-7 × 1-2 mm, yellow or becoming reddish, stellate-pubescent to glabrescent outside, glabrous inside; petals 5, linear-obovate, 3-6 × 1.5-3 mm, yellow, ciliate on margin; androgynophore very short, ca. 0.3 mm long, bearing 5 small suborbicular glands, crowned by a ciliate urceolus surrounding the stamens; stamens 10-15, free, 3-5 mm long, yellow; ovary covered with uncinate spinules, style filiform, 3-6 m long, yellow. Fruit a dry, globose, indehiscent capsule, rarely ovoid-globose, 2-4-loculate, covered with many (75-100) spines, the body 3-4 mm in diam., cinereous-tomentose with stellate hairs, the spines uncinate, glabrous or nearly so, 1-2 mm long. Seeds 2-4 (1 per locule), ovoid, 1.5-2 x 1-1.5 mm, glabrous

The earliest name, Bartramia indica, was described from Sri Lanka in 1753, whereas T. rhomboidea was described in 1760 from the Caribbean, indicating that this species was already present in both hemispheres by the middle of the 18^th century.

Triumfetta rhomboidea is generally considered as a recent introduction in Australia and the Pacific islands (Halford 1997; Smith, 1981). First records for French Polynesia and Hawaii are from 1877 and 1910, respectively (Florence, 2004; Motooka, 2003). By 1980-1983 it was reported in Norfolk Island and New Caledonia (Gargominy et al., 1996; Flora of Australia Online, 2018).

Soil drainage

• free
• impeded

Soil reaction

• acid
• alkaline
• neutral

Soil texture

• heavy
• light
• medium

Special soil tolerances

• infertile
• shallow

Vector Transmission (Biotic)

Triumfetta rhomboidea disperses by animals (including humans). The small fruits are covered with hooked spines that adhere to the hair of animals and are thus transported to new locations (Valkenburg and Bunyapraphatsara, 2001; Raju and Rani, 2017).

Accidental Introduction

Triumfetta rhomboidea may be accidentally transported via clothing and fur of livestock, or as a contaminant in wool (Wells et al., 1986).

Intentional Introduction

This species is used at local level only, and thus intentional, international introduction, is unlikely.

Triumfetta rhomboidea is listed among the major weeds of agriculture in the southern and western Pacific (Waterhouse, 1997), and as a common weed in rice (Oryza sativa) in south and Southeast Asia (Moody, 1989). Since plants are woody at the base and strong rooting, they are very difficult to remove (McCormack, 2007).

Triumfetta rhomboidea is a competitive species that invades pastures and disturbed areas in forests. It can form almost pure stands preventing the establishment of native species (Wells et al., 1986; Motooka, 2003).

Triumfetta rhomboidea can grow forming dense stands and become a nuisance to people and livestock in pastures and forest sites where these plants abound (Motooka, 2003).

• Invasive in its native range
• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Has a broad native range
• Abundant in its native range
• Highly adaptable to different environments
• Tolerates, or benefits from, cultivation, browsing pressure, mutilation, fire etc
• Pioneering in disturbed areas
• Tolerant of shade
• Fast growing
• Has high reproductive potential

• Ecosystem change/ habitat alteration
• Monoculture formation
• Negatively impacts agriculture
• Negatively impacts cultural/traditional practices
• Negatively impacts forestry
• Damages animal/plant products

• Competition - monopolizing resources
• Rapid growth
• Produces spines, thorns or burrs

• Highly likely to be transported internationally accidentally
• Difficult to identify/detect in the field
• Difficult/costly to control

Economic Value

The stems of T. rhomboidea yield a strong, jute-like fiber that has been used for making rope, string, ties, thread and fishing nets (Pasqualet, 1926; Bosch, 2012). The species was at one time cultivated in Malawi (Bosch, 2012) and Cuba (Fuentes Fiallo, 1999) for fiber production.

Social Benefit

Triumfetta rhomboidea is widely used in traditional African and Asian medicine to treat a broad range of illnesses (Valkenburg and Bunyapraphatsara, 2001; Bosch, 2012; Quattrocchi, 2012). The leaves are commonly used as emollient for treating burns, eczema, scabies, skin infections and snakebites (Valkenburg and Bunyapraphatsara, 2001; Bosch, 2012). A decoction of the plant in rice water is taken to treat diarrhea, dysentery, gonorrhea and high blood pressure. The decoction of the roots is used for internal ulcerations (Valkenburg and Bunyapraphatsara, 2001). The roots are also used to treat conjunctivitis and as pain-killer against headache, toothache and circumcision wounds (Bosch, 2012). The fruits and pounded roots are believed to facilitate childbirth (Valkenburg and Bunyapraphatsara, 2001).

Phytochemical analyses have reported the presence of a number of bioactive compounds including flavonoids, polysterols, triterpenes, polyphenols, alkaloids and tannins (Uche and Okunna, 2009; Devmurari et al., 2010). Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of different parts of the plant have shown to possess analgesic, anti-inflammatory (Uche and Okunna, 2009), lactogenic (Sahoo et al., 2016), antibacterial (Devmurari et al., 2010), antioxidant and antitumor activity (Sivakumar et al., 2010).

The leaves and roots are consumed as a cooked vegetable. The stems are a source of mucilage used to make soups and sauces, and to prepare a food for babies and young children not yet able to eat coarse starchy foods. This mucilaginous soup is often the first dish given to women who have given birth (Bosch, 2012).

The plant is also used as fodder (Roothaert and Franzel, 2001; Bosch, 2012). In some African countries, the leaves are fed to horses to treat constipation and worms (Bosch, 2012).

Triumferol (4-hydroxyisoxazole), a plant growth regulator that inhibits seed germination, was isolated from this species (Kusumi et al., 1981).