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Spermacoce prostrata

Aubl. (1775)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Gentianales Family: Rubiaceae Genus: Spermacoce

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Annual or subshrub.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades narrowly elliptic. Apex acute. Base acute. Margins entire.

Flowers: Flowers in sessile axillary clusters, white. Flowers insect-pollinated, minute, bisexual (perfect), sessile, often heterostylous. Ovary inferior.

Fruit: Seeds 2.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome(s).

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

O'ahu Potentially naturalizing
Maui Potentially naturalizing
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Hist. Pl. Guiane: 58 (1775)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1173 (H? [as S. prostrata, reportedly collected in Hilo, but spm. not seen]); Lorence et al. 1995:52 (NEWNAT/H [as S. ovalifolia], KEY, DESCR); Wagner et al. 1997:61 (O); Oppenheimer 2003:23 (EM, WM, S. ovalifolia misapplied = S. prostrata); Lorence & Flynn 2006:4/Lorence & Faccenda 2024 (KEY)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Spermacoce prostrata South Hilo District, Waiakea, Keaukaha Military Reservation Growing along jeep road through mixed native/exotic forest. Preserved_Specimen Erect plant with pale green stems and leaves. Herbst, D.R. 9783 Hawaii BISH 1996-07-05
2 Spermacoce prostrata Volcanoes National Park; Chain of Craters Rd Preserved_Specimen Fosberg, F.R. 64302 Hawaii BISH 1984-03-25
3 Spermacoce prostrata East Maui, Hana District, Kuhiwa well area, Nahiku Preserved_Specimen Herb <5dm; interpetiolar stipules. Starr, F. 105083 Maui BISH 2001-05-08
4 Spermacoce prostrata Puna Dist., near mile marker 23, below Volcano village. Metrosideros/Dicranopteris vegetation Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 6390 Hawaii BISH 1990-06-18
5 Spermacoce prostrata Volcano, Royal Hawaiian Estates, Puolani St. Weedy roadside, sunny, moist. Common along road in disturbed area Preserved_Specimen Faccenda, K. 3270 Hawaii BISH 2024-01-05
6 Spermacoce prostrata Puna District; Volcano Transfer Dump. Occasional in disturbed area around dump site Preserved_Specimen Light green foliage. Herbst, D.R. 9583 Hawaii BISH 1992-03-20
7 Spermacoce prostrata Lower Nanawale Forest Reserve, near end of Hapuu Road in Nanawale Estates Directly off of pavement. Preserved_Specimen Low herbaceous plant. Croft, L.K. 790048 Hawaii BISH 1979-02-28
8 Spermacoce prostrata Volcano Refuse Transfer Station, along Highway 11 between Glenwood and Volcano, Puna District clearing and secondary vegetation in Metrosideros wet forest zone, Preserved_Specimen Herb 15-30 cm tall, sparsely branched, stems erect. Corolla white. Lorence, D.H. 6673 Hawaii BISH 1991-01-07
9 Spermacoce prostrata N Halawa Valley Wet soil in grass-covered hill dominated by Andropogon virginicus & other weedy species, e.g. Conyza bonariensis. Preserved_Specimen Imada, C. 945 Oahu BISH 1994-02-02
10 Spermacoce prostrata W Maui, Lahaina District, Kaulalewelewe Growing in gravel rd. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 20127 Maui BISH 2001-02-20
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