Family: Aizoaceae
Tetragonia implexicoma
Citation:
Hook. f., Fl. Tasm. 1:148 (1856).
Synonymy: Tetragonella implexicoma (often spelt amplexicoma) Miq. in Lehm., Pl. Preiss. 1:246 (1845); Trianthema maidenii S. Moore, J. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) 45:207 (1920); Trianthema turgidifolia sensu J. Black, Fl. S. Aust. 342 (1948).
, Tetragonia amplexicoma Common name: Bower spinach.
Description:
Prostrate undershrub or the tomentose stems or branches climbing on adjoining shrubs; leaves petiolate, thick, papillose, ovate or lanceolate to almost linear, often clustered, 2-4 cm long.
Flowers on usually slender peduncles which are 5-20 mm long and often hairy; perianth lobes yellow inside, glabrous or hairy outside; stamens 12-25 ; free summit of ovary conical; styles and cells 2, rarely 3.
Fruit a depressed-globular orange or red finally blackish drupe, c. 5 mm diam., crowned by the persistent perianth lobes.
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Image source: fig. 119 in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Distribution:
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S.Aust.: NU, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE. W.Aust.; Vic.; Tas.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: throughout the year.
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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:
Whereas the more northern populations have fascicled narrow leaves, the southern plants often have broad scattered leaves, resembling closely the New Zealand T. trigyna.
Taxonomic notes:
The taxonomy of this group requires examination.
Author:
Not yet available
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