| Etymology | Genus | Seed point; referring to the capsular fruits sitting on pointy calyxes |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Winged; reference to plant unknown | |
| Family | Rubiaceae | |
| Synonyms | Spermacoce latifolia Aubl., Borreria latifolia (Aubl.) K.Schum., Tardavel latifolia (Aubl.) Standl. | |
| Common Names | Oval Leaf False Buttonweed | |
| Status | Exotic: Naturalised | |
| Form | Herb | |
| Native Distribution | Neotropics | |
Diagnostics:
Spermacoce alata is a very common weed of lawns. The stem is squarish and the leaves broad. It bears some resemblance to Spermacoce ocymoides but the leaves appear to be wider, with slightly larger flowers and fewer flowers per cluster.
Interesting Facts:
The Oval Leaf False Buttonweed is naturalised pantropically (eFloras, 2008). It appears that both the name Spermacoce latifolia and S. alata have been chosed interchangeably by many authors, but I chose the latter as it has been used by some authoritative sites.
Oval Leaf False Buttonweed on an unmaintained lawn.
Broad leaves.
Leaf underside.
Stipules with multiple projections.
Flowers may be white to light purple.
Developing fruits.
References
eFloras. (2008) Spermacoce alata Aublet. Flora of China. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge. http://www.efloras.org/. Accessed on 13-Oct-2014.Author: Siyang
Posted: 2014-10-12 / Modified: 2019-08-27
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