Spermacoce alata

Spermacoce alata, the winged false buttonweed,[2] is a species of plant in the Rubiaceae.[3] It is widespread across the warmer parts of the Western Hemisphere and naturalized in many other parts of the world.

winged false buttonweed
broadleaf buttonweed
Spermacoce alata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Gentianales
Family:
Rubiaceae
Subfamily:
Rubioideae
Tribe:
Spermacoceae
Genus:
Spermacoce
Species:
S. alata
Binomial name
Spermacoce alata
Aubl.
Synonyms[1]
  • Borreria alata (Aubl.) DC.
  • Spermacoce aspera Aubl.
  • Spermacoce caerulescens Aubl.
  • Spermacoce latifolia Aubl.
  • Spermacoce sikkimensis Q.Singh
  • Borreria sideritis Cham. & Schltdl.
  • Bigelovia elata Bartl. ex DC.
  • Borreria bartlingiana DC.
  • Borreria perrottetii DC.
  • Borreria platyphylla DC.
  • Borreria scabrida DC.
  • Spermacoce scabrida Pohl ex DC.
  • Borreria tetraptera Miq.
  • Borreria fockeana Miq.
  • Borreria penicillata Miq.
  • Spermacoce aspera var. latifolia Griseb.
  • Spermacoce bartlingiana Hemsl.
  • Borreria latifolia (Aubl.) K.Schum. in C.F.P.von Martius
  • Borreria latifolia var. minor K.Schum. in C.F.P.von Martius
  • Borreria latifolia var. scabrida (DC.) K.Schum. in C.F.P.von Martius
  • Borreria latifolia var. sideritis K.Schum. in C.F.P.von Martius
  • Tardavel latifolia (Aubl.) Standl.
  • Borreria latifolia var. fockeana (Miq.) Bremek.
  • Borreria splitgerheri Bremek.
  • Borreria eradii Ravi
  • Borreria latifolia f. fockeana (Miq.) Steyerm.
  • Borreria latifolia f. minor (K.Schum.) Steyerm.
  • Borreria latifolia f. scabrida (DC.) Steyerm.
  • Neanotis monosperma var. tirunelvelica A.N.Henry & Chandrab

Description

Spermacoce alata is a perennial herb, sometimes erect but other times decumbent. Stems are square in cross-section, with wings along the corners running lengthwise along the stem. Leaves are elliptical to oblong, up to 8 cm long. Flowers are white to very pale purple, formed in axillary clumps.[4]

Distribution

Spermacoce alata is considered native to southern Mexico, Central America, a few islands in the Caribbean (Trinidad and the Leeward Islands), and parts of South America (French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina). It is reportedly naturalized in tropical Africa (from Liberia to Uganda), China (Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, Zhejiang), India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Malaysia, Thailand, Borneo, Java, Myanmar (Burma), Sumatra, Queensland, the (Australian) Northern Territory, Fiji and Samoa.[1][4]

References
  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Spermacoce alata
  2. "Spermacoce alata". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  3. Aublet, Jean Baptiste Christophe Fusée. 1775. Histoire des Plantes de la Guiane Françoise 1: 60–61, t. 22, f. 7.
  4. Flora of China, v 19 p 326, 阔叶丰花草 kuo ye feng hua cao, Spermacoce alata
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