Xanthiums, also known as the ‘Cockleburs’ belongs to the family of ‘Asteraceae’. The plant is an annual herb whose average height is 50-120cm. The leaves are arranged like a spire narrowing at the top with a deep margin. In certain species like ‘X. spinosum’ thorns are also found at the base of the leaves. The seeds are found to be present in hard double chambers which can either be spherical or oval in shape. The seed, due to the presence of hooked spine, gets easily entangled to the dresses of the travellers and thus are carried to far-off lands. The plant reproduces only through the burred seeds.

Xanthium flowers are unique and mainly two types of flower are found. The first type produces only pollen and is present at the end of the branch. The other type forms a crown at the leaf axils and bears seed. This plant is commonly referred to as ‘short-day plant’. This is because the blossom starts only from July to October i.e. in the late summer and the time of fall in the Northern Hemisphere when the duration of the day gets shorter. But contrary to this theory, the plant is found to bloom nicely in the tropical regions where there is no substantial change in the length of the day.

Xanthium, which is widely found in America and in eastern Asia, is used in Chinese medicine. It is also used to produce yellow dye. Some parts of the plant have dangerous toxin content and prove fatal when consumed.