Home | > | List of families | > | Amaranthaceae | > | Alternanthera | > | nodiflora |
Synonyms: |
Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC. var. nodiflora (R. Br.) Kuntze |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Probably introduced |
Description: |
Annual or perennial herb, prostrate, ascending or erect, up to 40 cm high. Stem and branches green or purplish-brown. Leaves opposite, subsessile, linear to narrowly elliptic, 2-7 cm long, usually hairless or thinly hairy when young. Infloresences sessile, axillary, solitary or in clusters of up to 5, globose, c. 7-10 mm in diameter. Bracts and bracteoles, ovate-lanceolate acuminate, c. 2.5 mm long, white. Flower tepals ovate acuminate, 3-4 mm long, white or pinkish. Fruit obcordate, 2-2.5 mm wide, about half as long as the perianth lobes. |
Notes: | See the very similar Alternanthera sessilis for comparison. |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | In sandy soils in riverbeds, along banks of watercourses, in pans, swamps and marshes; also along roadsides. |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Native in Australia but also widespread in tropical Africa. |
Botswana distribution: | N,SE |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Saturday 18 July 2015 |
Literature: |
Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 16. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 20. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 20. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 23. Townsend, C.C. (1988). Amaranthaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(1) Pages 129 - 130. |
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