Contains 5 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
The delimitations of Borreria and Spermacoce are yet to be fully worked out, as previous circumscriptions are not monophyletic (Salas et al. 2015; Florentin et al. 2017).
Classification
Citation
SPERMACOCE Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 102. 1753.
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TYPE: Spermacoce tenuior Linnaeus Lectotypified by Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 3: 256. 1913.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spermacoce glabra | SMOOTH FALSE BUTTONWEED | Native FACW (NWPL) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Spermacoce keyensis | FLORIDA FALSE BUTTONWEED | Native | ||
| Spermacoce latifolia | OVAL-LEAF FALSE BUTTONWEED | Not Native | ||
| Spermacoce prostrata | PROSTRATE FALSE BUTTONWEED | Native FACW (NWPL) | ||
| Spermacoce tetraquetra | PINELAND FALSE BUTTONWEED | Native |
Identification Key
1. Stems and leaves copiously short-pilose, pilose, or hispid
2
1. Stems and leaves glabrous to sparingly pubescent
3
2. Stems conspicuously winged, the wings 0.3-0.5 mm wide; leaves 1.5-4 times longer than wide, with 4-8 lateral veins; trichomes white to red
2. Stems not winged; leaves (2.5)3-6 times longer than wide, with 1-3(4) lateral veins; trichomes white
3. Calyx lobes 1-2 mm wide, 1.5-2.3 mm long; fruit glabrous; leaves with evident lateral veins
3. Calyx lobes 0.2-0.7 mm wide, 0.3-1.5 mm long; fruit pubescent or glabrous
4
4. Stem nodes usually with a pair of leaves only; calyx lobes 4, 0.2-0.4 mm wide
5
4. Stem nodes commonly with sessile axillary fascicles of reduced leaves; calyx lobes 2-4, 0.4-0.7 mm wide
7
5. Stems, leaves, calyx-lobes, and-or flower buds generally plain green without red coloration; leaves usually lacking evident lateral veins; calyx lobes (0.7)1-1.3 mm long, conspicuous, enclosing the corolla or exserted beyond the corolla
5. Stems, leaves, calyx-lobes, and-or flower buds commonly suffused with red or pink, sometimes plain green without red; leaves commonly with evident lateral veins; calyx lobes 0.3-0.8 mm long, inconspicuous, the corolla exserted beyond the calyx lobes
6
6. Stem glabrous; corolla lobes 0.5-1 mm long, only slightly longer than the calyx lobes; fruit 1-2 mm long, glabrous to pubescent
6. Stem usually pubescent below the nodes; corolla lobes 2-4 mm long, more than 2 times longer than the calyx lobes; fruit 2-3 mm long, pubescent
7. Leaves 0.8-2 cm wide, 2-4(4.5) times longer than wide
7. Leaves 0.1-1 cm wide, (3.5)4-10 times longer than wide
8
8. Corolla lobes 0.4-0.8 mm wide, 0.4-1 mm long; anthers 0.4-0.7 mm long; fruit (including persistent calyx lobe) 1.5–2.5 mm long
8. Corola lobes 0.8-1.2 mm wide, 1-2.5 mm long; anthers 0.8-1.1 mm long; fruit (including persistent calyx lobe) 2.5-5 mm long
8
9. Stems and branches many from the base of the plant, weakly lax to erect; deltoid prickles (0.1–0.5 mm long) along leaf blade midvein usually absent or 1-2 at the blade base; corolla lobe 1.5-2.5 mm long; fruit (including persistent calyx lobe) 2.5-4 mm long, dehiscent, somewhat open or cylindric, usually 2-seeded
9. Stems single or many (especially when mowed) from the base of the plant, typically few to unbranched in the basal 1⁄2 of the plant, mostly erect (unless mowed); corolla lobe 1-1.5 mm long; fruit (including persistent calyx lobe) 4-5 mm long, indehiscent, flattened, usually 1-seeded with the other locule abortive
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arbulocarpus | Arbulocarpus Tennant, Kew Bull. 1957: 386. 1958. | TYPE: Arbulocarpus sphaerostigmus (A. Richard) Tennant (Hypodematium sphaerostigmum A. Richard) Substitute name for Hypodematium A. Richard 1848, non Kunze 1833. | |
| Chaenocarpus | Chaenocarpus Necker ex A. Jussieu, in Cuvier, Dict. Sci. nat., ed. 2. 8: 50. 1817. | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Dichrospermum | Dichrospermum Bremekamp, Bull. Jard. Bot. Etat 22: 75. 1952. | TYPE: Dichrospermum congense Bremekamp | |
| Hypodematium | Hypodematium A. Richard, Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 348. 1848, non Kunze 1833. | TYPE: Hypodematium sphaerostigmum A. Richard Lectotypified by Hiern, in Oliver, Fl. Trop. Afr. 3: 240. 1877. = Arbulocarpus Tennant 1958. | |
| Paragophyton | Paragophyton K. Schumann, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 23: 454. 1897. | TYPE: Paragophyton spermacocinum K. Schumann 1897. | |
| Spermacoceodes | Spermacoceodes Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 3(2): 123. 1898. | TYPE: Non designatus. |