Family: Rubiaceae
Sherardia arvensis
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 102 (1753).
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Field madder.
Description:
Annuals with weak stems up to 30 cm long, little-branched, prostrate to scrambling; stems quadrangular, glabrous or with scattered papillae bent downwards, but usually with a few papillae on the leaf sheath and the nodes; leaves and stipules equal, in whorls of 4 and obovate at the base or 6 and oblanceolate or elliptic to lanceolate above, 5-16 x 2-4 ram, acute, acuminate or rarely cuspidate, serrate-ciliate, glabrous or with scattered straight hairs pointing towards the apex of the leaf.
Inflorescence terminal, or terminal on short axillary branches, with 4-10 flowers surrounded by a cup of 8-10 leaf-like bracts fused at the base; corolla pink.
fruit obconical, 2-3 mm long, crowned by the persistent calyx.
Published illustration:
Ross-Craig (1960) Drawings Brit. Pl. 14:t. 26.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: FR, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE. N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Native to Europe; north-west Asia; naturalised in North America.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: Sept. — Nov.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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