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Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet

Family: Caryophyllaceae
Polycarpon tetraphyllum

Citation: L., Syst. Nat. edn 10, 2:881 (1759).

Synonymy: Mollugo tetraphylla L., Sp. Pl. 1:89 (1753); P. diphyllum Cav., Icon. 2:40 (1793); P. tetraphyllum (L.)L. var. diphyllum (Cav.)DC., Prod. 3:376 (1828).

Common name: Allseed, four-leaf allseed.

Description:
Erect or small annuals rarely biennials or perennials, without a woody stock, spreading or prostrate, glabrous, c. 23 cm high, stems branched; leaves green, obovate to spathulate, c. 2.5 cm long, c. 1 cm wide, petiolate, with short scarious stipules, white, ovate-deltoid, opposite or in apparent whorls of 4.

Flowers numerous, usually in loose or dichotomous cymes, with dense leaflets, on very short pedicels not exceeding c. 6 mm long; bracts white, conspicuous, c. 6 mm long, resembling the stipules; sepals 5, strongly keeled, hooded, mucronate, c. 2 mm long, with scarious margins; petals 5, entire, membranous, narrowly oblong, not half as long as the sepals; stamens 3-5.

Capsule shorter than the calyx, opening in 3 valves; seeds c. 15, brown, almost triangular, strongly papillose-tuberculate, c. 0.5 mm long, with a whitish tubercle.

image of FSA1_Polycarpon_tet.jpg Polycarpon tetraphyllum
Image source: fig. 142 in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 303.

Distribution:  Often as a weed in lawns and garden paths.

S.Aust.: FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE.   W.Aust.; Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   Native to Europe.

Conservation status: naturalised

Flowering time: mainly Aug. — Jan.


SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: In view of the difficulties encountered in reliably distinguishing in S.Aust. between P. tetraphyllum and P. diphyllum, R.D. Meikle (1977), Flora of Cyprus 1:278, is followed in treating these as synonymous.

Author: Not yet available


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