Richardia brasiliensis Gomes

Gomes, B.A. (1801) Memoria sobre la Ipecacuanha fusca do Brasil ou Cipó das nossas boticas : 31, t.2.

Mexican Clover; White Eye

Perennial (or ? annual) prostrate herb, often forming a mat from a central taproot; stems 7-40 cm. long, densely covered with spreading hairs.

Leaf blades 1-6.5 x 0.4-2.7 cm., elliptic, acute or subacute at the apex, very narrowly attenuated to the base, the apparent petiole up to 1.5 cm. long, mostly with short hairs all over the upper surface and on the margins and nerves beneath; basal narrowed part with longer hairs; stipular sheath 1-3.5 mm. long, with 3-5 fimbriae, 1-4 mm. long, usually with long hairs.

Inflorescences 0.7-1.2 cm. in diam.; bracts ovate-elliptic, rounded at the base, the long ones 1.5-3.5 x 0.65-2 cm., the short ones 1-1.7 cm. x 4-9.5 mm., sometimes lacking, with a similar indumentum to that on the leaves, save that there are much longer hairs towards the base; basal part of bracts often subhyaline. Calyx tube 1.2-1.7 mm. long; lobes 5-6, 1-1.5 x 0.3-1 mm., ovate-triangular, the margins conspicuously ciliate, basal united part of the limb 0.5-1 mm. long. Corolla white often tinged pink, 2.7-3.2 mm. long; lobes 4-6, 1-1.4 x 0.5-0.8 mm. Style 3-4 mm. long, the branches 0.2-0.5 mm. long; stigmas 0.2-0.3 mm. long, spathulate.

Cocci brown, 2-2.6 x 1.4-1.6 mm., oblong-obovoid, inner face with smooth depressed area (i.e. actual septum of ovary) almost as broad as the face, dorsal face covered with short flat hairs which are longer in the middle or a mixture of papilla-like hairs and longer hairs. Seeds brown, 2.5 x 1.8 mm., compressed oblong-obovoid, with ventral face Broadly grooved, with 2 short basal projections 0.1 mm. long.

Features not available.

Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards to central New South Wales. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 880 m. Grows in disturbed areas, openings and along roads and tracks in rainforest, Eucalypt forest, various types of woodland and grassland. A cosmopolitan distribution.

A weed of agriculture.