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(Last Modified On 1/28/2013)
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(Last Modified On 1/28/2013)
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Species
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PHILOXERUS VERMICULARIS (L.) R. Br.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Prodr. 416. 1810.
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Synonym
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Gomphrena vermicularis L. Sp. P1. 224. 1753. Illecebrum vermiculatum L. Sp. PI. ed. 2:300. 1762. Gomphrena aggregata Willd. Enum. 294. 1809. Philoxerus aggregatus HBK. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 2:203. 18 17. Philoxerus crassif olius HBK. loc. cit. 2 0 3. 1 8 17. Achyranthes vermicularis Ell. Bot. IS. C. & Ga. 1:3 10. 1 8 2 1. Gomphrena crassifolia Spreng. Syst. 1:824. 1825. Caraxeron vermicularis Raf. Fl. Tell. 3 :3 8. 18 37. Blutaparon brevifolium Raf. New. Fl. 4:45. 1838. Blutaparon repens Raf. loc. cit. 46. 1 838. Iresine vermicularis Moq. in DC. Prodr. 13 2:340. 1849. Iresine crassifolia Moq. loc. cit. 340. 1849. Iresine aggregata Moq. loc. cit. 340. 1849. Cruzeta crassifolia Maza, Fl. Haban. 94. 1897. Lithophila vermiculata Uline, in Field Mus. Bot. 2:39. 1900.
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Description
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Prostrate or decumbent perennials, the much branched stems glabrous except at the nodes. Leaves glabrous, succulent, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, apically acute to rounded, often mucronate, basally cuneate, 1-5.5 cm. long, 2-10 mm. broad, the leaf bases encircling the swollen nodes, with an axillary tuft of hairs. Inflorescences of terminal and axillary pedunculate bracteate white to stramineous spikes or glomes, 5-30 mm. long, 5-10 mm. broad, solitary or aggregated, the rhachises villous. Flowers perfect; bracts and bracteoles subequal, ovate, acute to acuminate, concave, translucent, 2-3 mm. long, slightly shorter than or equaling the sepals; sepals 5, the outer 3 almost flat, usually glabrous, apically rounded, 3-4 mm. long, 1-1.5 mm. broad, the inner 2 conduplicate, pubescent, apically acute, 3-4 mm. long, 1 mm. broad; stamens 5, 1-2.5 mm. long, united below into a very shallow or obsolete tube; pseudostaminodia absent; ovary orbiculate to elliptic, style 1, about as long as the 2 papillose stigmata. Fruit an indehiscent utricle, about 2 mm. long; seeds cochleate-orbiculate, reddish brown, 0.8-1.2 mm. broad.
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Specimen
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BOCAS DEL TORO: Old Bank Island, vicinity of Chiriqui Lagoon, von Wedel 1948.
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Distribution
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A rather characteristic sea beach plant, this species ranges from Florida and Texas to Mexico and British Honduras, and from Panama to Brazil in the Amer- icas; it also occurs on the west coast of Africa.
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Note
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As the name implies, the plant reputedly possesses vermifuge qualities. P. portulacoides St.-Hil. differing in having glabrous white sepals, and P. littoralis Suesseng., differing in having glabrous white inner sepals and pilose foliar midribs are weakly defined species occurring in South America.
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