Striga asiatica
(L.) Kuntze · speciesAt a glance
Sources14 archives
Databases and archives Striga asiatica's data was compiled from.
WikipediaWikimedia Foundation5 languages↗
BioWikiNetmultilingual Wikipediamultilingual↗
GBIFGlobal Biodiversity Information Facility2 058 records↗
ENAEuropean Nucleotide Archive · EMBL-EBI8 eDNA detections↗
BOLD SystemsCentre for Biodiversity Genomics17 specimens↗
NCBIUS National Library of Medicinesequences↗
LOTUSNatural Products (Wikidata)compounds↗
NPASSNat. Product Activity & Species Sourcecompounds↗
GRIN TaxonomyUSDA-ARSdistribution & uses↗
Open Tree of LifeOpenTreephylogeny backbone↗
CCDBChromosome Counts DB · Tel Aviv U.genome & karyotype↗
GoaTGenomes on a Tree · Sangergenome & karyotype↗
PloiDBPloidy Databasegenome & karyotype
GLoBIGlobal Biotic Interactionsbiotic interactions↗Every layer below draws on the sources above — open one to explore it, or use ← → to move between tabs.
Striga asiatica, the Asiatic witchweed or the red witchweed, is a hemiparasitic plant in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, but has been introduced into other parts of the world including Australia and the United States. Asiatic witchweed is a serious agricultural pest, as it parasitises important crop species, including corn, rice, sorghum, and sugar cane, often causing substantial yield reductions. While it is native to Africa and Asia, it is invasive in farmlands of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. In the US, this witchweed was discovered in the Carolinas in 1956. It is considered an invasive agricultural pest, and a vigorous eradication campaign has reduced the affected area by 99% [from 450000 acre to about 3400 acre]. Biological control can be achieved by growing a Desmodium (tick-trefoil) undercrop (see push–pull technology). The trefoil can be used as green manure or animal fodder after the harvest.
No narrative description available for this taxon yet.
Size & morphology9
Life cycle & reproduction5
Diet & foraging1
Habitat & environment11
Physiology & chemistry2
Compounds documented for Striga asiatica across natural-product and food-composition databases — not just the ~150 nutrients on a classic label ("nutritional dark matter").
Compound class profile5 classes
Documented compounds20 total
| Compound | Class | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| (2R,3R)-7-[(2E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienoxy]-3,5-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | present | NPASS | |
| (2S)-2-[4-[(2E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dienoxy]phenyl]-5,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | present | NPASS | |
| (2S)-5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-[4-(3-methylbut-2-enoxy)phenyl]-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | present | NPASS | |
| 1-[7-Hydroxy-5-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)chromen-8-yl]ethanone | present | NPASS | |
| 3,5,7-Trihydroxy-6-methoxy-4'-prenyloxyflavone | present | NPASS | |
| 3,5,7-Trihydroxy-8-methoxy-4'-prenyloxyflavone | present | NPASS | |
| 5,4'-Dihydroxy-3,6,3'-trimethoxy-7-prenyloxyflavone | present | NPASS | |
| 5,4'-Dihydroxy-3,8,3'-trimethoxy-7-prenyloxyflavone | present | NPASS | |
| 5,7-Dihydroxy-3,6-dimethoxy-4'-prenyloxyflavone | present | NPASS | |
| 5,7-Dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxy-4'-prenyloxyflavone | present | NPASS |
A DNA barcode is a short, standardised stretch of genes that works like a fingerprint — enough to tell one species from another. Below is the molecular trace Striga asiatica has left across the world's sequence archives.
At a glance
★ the standard DNA barcode for this group — the short region actually read to tell this species apart. The rest are extra genes sequenced along the way.
The complete instruction manual Striga asiatica carries — its genome. We read it from three angles — how big it is, how the DNA is packed into chromosomes, and how completely it has been sequenced — and explain how to read each value as you go.
Genome sizehow big the whole instruction manual is
Measured in base pairs (bp) — the individual letters of DNA (human ≈ 3.2 Gb, a bacterium a few million). The chart places this genome on a logarithmic scale — each step to the right is ten times bigger — among reference organisms. Across species a bigger genome loosely tracks with larger cells, slower growth and lower-energy lifestyles (powered flight favours small genomes) — yet it does not imply more genes or a more advanced organism (the long-standing C-value paradox).
Chromosomes & ploidyhow the DNA is packaged
2n is the full chromosome count in a normal body cell; n is a gamete (egg or sperm), which carries half. Ploidy is how many complete chromosome sets each cell holds — 2× (diploid) is typical for animals, while higher levels (polyploidy) are common in plants. Click any value below to see the underlying records and sources.
2n 403×CCDB · book-indian_vol1 · CCDB · book-fedorov · CCDB · book-atlas-flowering-plants
2n 241×CCDB · ipcn-api-dl
n 202×CCDB · ipcn-api-dl
n 121×CCDB · book-ipcn73-74
diploid inferred1×PloiDB · genus-scale
Sequencing statusassembly quality — how far to trust these numbers
Assembly level tells you how finished the sequence is — from fragmented contigs, through scaffolds, up to a full chromosome-level assembly. BUSCO % estimates completeness: the share of genes expected to be present that were actually found. These describe the data quality, not the organism.
Record type2 058 records
Origin
Range
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Museum / Voucheredphysical evidence
Backed by a physical specimen — a herbarium sheet, sample or voucher held in a collection. “Vouchered” means supported by material evidence, not just an observation.
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Holding institutions39 of 90 geolocated
Institutions and collections holding physical, vouchered specimens of this species — click a row to fly to it on the map.
| Institution | Specimens |
|---|---|
| Pretoria, ZA | 181 |
| MeiseBGlocation not on record | 111 |
| Kew, GB | 85 |
| Saint Louis, US | 69 |
| HNBlocation not on record | 66 |
| Guangzhou, CN | 44 |
| Forest Herbarium Ibadan (FHI)location not on record | 43 |
| Plocation not on record | 35 |
| Paris, FR | 27 |
| Beijing, CN | 25 |
| Guilin, CN | 25 |
| Yaoundé, CM | 23 |
| Université du Lomélocation not on record | 11 |
| WAGlocation not on record | 10 |
| Durban, ZA | 10 |
| LSF/FSA/UAClocation not on record | 9 |
| Kunming, CN | 8 |
| National Museums of Kenyalocation not on record | 8 |
| Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (PBZT)location not on record | 7 |
| Frankfurt am Main | 6 |
| Nanjing, CN | 6 |
| BRLUlocation not on record | 6 |
| Museo Entomologico de Leonlocation not on record | 6 |
| Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropicallocation not on record | 5 |
| LERF/FA/UPlocation not on record | 5 |
| Embrapa Agrobiology Diazothrophic Microbial Culture Collectionlocation not on record | 5 |
| Guangzhou, CN | 5 |
| Herbier National du Gabonlocation not on record | 5 |
| Conservatoire Botanique National de Mascarinlocation not on record | 5 |
| Institut de Recherche Agronomique de Guinée (IRAG)location not on record | 4 |
| Glocation not on record | 4 |
| LBVlocation not on record | 4 |
| Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoirelocation not on record | 4 |
| University of Michigan, Herbariumlocation not on record | 4 |
| Philadelphia, US | 4 |
| Changsha, CN | 4 |
| Cape Town, ZA | 3 |
| Moscow State Universitylocation not on record | 3 |
| Dresden, DE | 3 |
| TAFORI-LSRClocation not on record | 3 |
| Baroda, IN | 3 |
| LaCarto/IGATE/UAClocation not on record | 3 |
| Xiamen, CN | 3 |
| EAlocation not on record | 3 |
| MAlocation not on record | 3 |
| Bronx, US | 3 |
| Nagasaki University - Fisherieslocation not on record | 3 |
| Dehra Dun, IN | 3 |
| Université National du Béninlocation not on record | 3 |
| Berlin, DE | 3 |
| Pondicherry, IN | 3 |
| Palmerston, AU | 2 |
| Taipei, TW | 2 |
| Canberra, AU | 2 |
| Conservatoire Botanique National de Mascarinlocation not on record | 2 |
| Bloomington, US | 2 |
| CNF-UFHBlocation not on record | 2 |
| Bangkok, TH | 2 |
| Canadian Department of Agriculturelocation not on record | 2 |
| Claremont, US | 2 |
| Brisbane, AU | 2 |
| Institut Botanique Ake-Assi d'Andokoilocation not on record | 2 |
| lbglocation not on record | 2 |
| Guiyang, CN | 2 |
| Zhengzhou, CN | 2 |
| Chongqing Museumlocation not on record | 1 |
| Clemson, US | 1 |
| Haramaya Universitylocation not on record | 1 |
| University of Santo Tomas Museumlocation not on record | 1 |
| Uppsala, SE | 1 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Appliquée au Developement Rurallocation not on record | 1 |
| Wlocation not on record | 1 |
| McWane Science Centerlocation not on record | 1 |
| Eduardo Mondlane Universitylocation not on record | 1 |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique / Institut de l'environnement et de recherches agricoleslocation not on record | 1 |
| Clocation not on record | 1 |
| Zlocation not on record | 1 |
| University of Southern Mississippilocation not on record | 1 |
| Yangling, CN | 1 |
| Guangxi Medicinal Botanic Gardenlocation not on record | 1 |
| LDlocation not on record | 1 |
| Guiyang, CN | 1 |
| Hangzhou, CN | 1 |
| North-West University, A.P. Goossens Herbariumlocation not on record | 1 |
| NGCPR01685location not on record | 1 |
| Arusha, TZ | 1 |
| University of Bonnlocation not on record | 1 |
| University of Stellenboschlocation not on record | 1 |
| Seychelles National Herbariumlocation not on record | 1 |
| Chengdu, CN | 1 |
Where the DNA of Striga asiatica was picked up in samples of water, soil or air — nobody saw the organism, only its DNA left behind. A trace is a clue that the species was near, not a confirmed sighting.
Signal
Where its DNA was found
How strong is each trace?
Modelled climatemodelled
How to read this: each dot is one detection of this species' DNA in an environmental sample. The confidence meter weighs how many independent studies and places back up the signal — one detection in one study is a hint; many across several studies is solid. Records dated before 2008 (when eDNA methods began) are treated as likely mislabeled and left off the map.