Drymaria cordata (L.) Willd. ex Schult.

Willdenow, C.L. von in Schultes, J.A. (1819) Systema Vegetabilium Edn. 16, 5: 406.

Tropical chickweed

Plants annual. Stems straggling, sometimes subscandent, usually rooting at lower nodes, 60-90 cm, mostly glabrous, minutely papillose toward inflorescence. Stipules membranous, narrowly triangular, splitting into few whitish setae.

Petiole poorly defined, 3-7 mm; leaf blade ovate-cordate, (0.5-1-3(-3.5) × 0.6-3 cm, prominently 3-5-veined from base. Bracts lanceolate, scarious.

Pedicel 3-5 mm, slender, glandular hairy. Sepals lanceolate-ovate, 2-3.7(-5) mm, margin membranous, 3-veined, glandular hairy, apex subacute. Petals white, obovate-cuneate, ca. 2.5 mm, deeply 2-cleft; segments narrow, apex ± acute. Stamens 2-3(-5), shorter than sepals. Styles 3, connate at base.

Capsule ovoid, (1.5-)2-3 mm in diam., 3-valved. Seed dark brown, suborbicular, ca. 1.5 mm, regularly densely tuberculate.

Features not available.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ, CEQ and south into northern New South Wales. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 860 m. Grows in disturbed areas in rainforest, acacia forest, eucalypt forest and vineforest; also in gardens.

A weed of shady areas.