Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana

Triana, J.J. (1872) Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 28(1): 58.

Spanish Shawl; Trailing Tibouchina; Pink Lady

Decumbent herb rooting at the nodes with the erect branches up to 16 cm tall; stems 4-angled, sparsely hairy; internodes 50-55 mm long.

Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 15-31 x 8-20 mm, margin slightly crenulate-ciliate, surfaces lightly to densely piloses. Petioles 5-12 mm long, upper surface flat, clothed in long simple reddish hairs.

Inflorescence a solitary flower or rarely 2-4 -flowered cymes. pedicels 2-5 mm long. Calyx-tube cylindric-campanulate, 5-7 x 3-4 mm, sparsely to densely pilose, the hairs intermixed with linear-subulate caducous appendages 1-2 mm long and setose at the apex; lobes subulate-lanceolate, 5-6 x 1.5 mm, margin ciliate, setose at the apex; intersepalar appendages ligulate, 2-2.5 mm long, setose at the apex. Petals pink to purplish, obovate, 20-28 x 15-20 mm. Stamens 10, unequal; 5 articulated and purple, and 5 yellow. Ovary 8-9 x 8 mm, clothed in stalked (2-2.5 mm long) stellate hairs.

Fructiferous receptacle 6-11 x 6-7·5 mm., ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid. Capsule subequalling the receptacle, setose on the upper part. Seeds cochleate, ridged along the back and with a fringe of long papillae around the hilum.

Features not available.

An introduced specias and occasional escape from cultivation, recorded from CYP, NEQ and NT. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 100 m. Originally from Africa.

Grown as an ornamental but has become naturalised in the NT, CYP and NEQ.