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(Last Modified On 9/18/2013)
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(Last Modified On 9/18/2013)
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Species
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Spermacoce tenuior L.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Sp. P1. 102. 1753.
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Synonym
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Spermacoce riparia Chain. & Schlecht., Linnaea 3: 355. 1828. TYPE: Brazil, Sellow, not seen. Spermacoce glabra sensu authors, not Michx.
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Description
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Subshrubs to 12 m tall, the stems smooth, usually glabrous, the nodes well spaced. Leaves elliptic, narrowly oblong or obovate oblong, 3.0-5.5 cm long, 1.0-1.5(-1.9) cm wide, acute or obtuse at the apex, basally attenuate acute or acute, the costa prominulous beneath, the lateral veins (3-)4, strongly ascending, evanescent, rigidly papyraceous, glabrous, smooth, black when dry; petioles slen- der, 2-10 mm long; stipules with the sheath reduced, glabrous, the setas 4-5, exceeding the sheath in length. Inflorescences (in fruit) axillary, to 1 cm long. Flowers not seen. Fruits subsessile, oblong to turbinate, to 3 mm long, truncate, glabrous, smooth, black, the teeth tending to persist, to 0.3 mm long, acute.
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Habit
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Subshrubs
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Distribution
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a common weed throughout tropical America.
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Note
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It is probably common in Panama but has not been well collected. Steyermark (1974) has a good description of the flower: "Calyx and hypanthium 3.2-3.5 mm long at anthesis; hypanthium narrowly turbinate, 2.2 mm long, 1 mm wide, glabrous. Lobes of the calyx 4, unequal, lanceolate to linear lanceolate, acuminate or acute, one slightly larger, 0.5-0.9(-1.2) mm long, ciliolate on the lower margins where they join the lobes of the calyx but glabrous above and on most of the margins; corolla white, rotate, 1.5-2 mm long; lobes narrowly ovate to lance oblong, obtuse at the curved, cucullate apex, 0.8-1.2 mm long, 0.4 mm wide, glabrous outside, pilulose within toward the middle, longer than the tube; stamens included, reach- ing the mouth; the anthers ovate oblong, rounded at the base, 0.5 mm long, the filaments attached near the middle of the corolla tube, 0.2-0.3 mm long; style 0.5 mm long."
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Specimen
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CANAL ZONE: Barro Colorado Island, Woodworth & Vestal 476 (MO). PANAMA: 5-6 mi E of Chepo, Panamerican Highway, Duke 4030 (MO). Chagres, Fendler 147 (MO). Between Pacora and Chepo, Woodson et al. 1660 (MO). SAN BLAS: E of Puerto Obaldia, Croat 16930 (MO).
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