Tribulus terrestris

The plant is prostrate with stems up to 2m long. Leaves are opposite, each consisting of 4-8 pairs of spear-shaped leaflets. There are long hairs on the leaf margins and the lower surface. Stems are round and hairy. Flowers are yellow.

Seeds enclosed in a woody star-shaped structure 5-7 mm long and 5-6 mm wide (carpels). Up to five seeds in each carpel each seed 1.5-3 mm long, yellow. Each plant can have upwards of 2000 seeds. Fruit is woody burr about 1 cm diameter with sharp spines to 6 mm long. Burr consists of 5 wedge-shaped segments. Each segment has 2 unequal pairs of spines. Tribulus terrestris is used as a powder form of the aerial parts, particularly the fruits. This whole plant is used in the form of decoction to treat urinary tract infections, urolithiasis, dysmenorrhea, edema.