Spermacoce ocymifolia Willd.

Willdenow, C.L. in Roemer, J.J. & Schultes, J.A. (1818) Systema Vegetabilium 3: 530. Type: West Indies, Rudolphi s.n.

Spreading to erect annual herb up to 100 cm tall. Stems with 4 obscure longitudinal ribs and becoming more rounded with age.

Stipules with 5-11 unequal erect or spreading awns on each side, 2-8 mm long. Leaf blades 2-8cm long, 0.6-3 cm broad, narrowly elliptic, narrowly elliptic-oblong.

Inflorescence axillary, capitala 6-14 mm wide. Calyx lobes 0.3-0.5 mm long, acute; corolla white, tube 1.3-2.5 mm long, lobes 3-4, 1-2 mm long, oblong-lanceolate; stamens 3-4.

Fruit 2.5-4 mm long, glabrous towards base and thin erect hairs near apex; splitting in to two mericarps; seeds 2-3 mm long, narrowly oblong, smooth or with obscure transverse depressions and minutely pitted surface, dark reddish brown.

Features not available.

An introduced species originally from Central America which now occurs in NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 930 m. Grows in disturbed areas and along roads and streams in rain forest and closed forest. Also occurs in tropical America, New Guinea and Malesia.