Polycarpon prostratum (Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf.

Caryophyllaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit

Tufted annual herb with ascending, spreading branches up to c. 15 cm. long; branches pubescent and sometimes densely so in the lower internodes, the upper with a line of hairs or all the internodes glabrescent or glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 0·3–3 × 0·1–0·7 cm., opposite or subverticillate, often in unequal pairs, subsessile, oblanceolate, narrowly obovate, rarely elliptic or linear, obtuse or subacute at the apex, cuneate at the base, margins entire, pubescent with white hairs or glabrous; stipules whitish, 1–2 mm. long, membranous, ovate to lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of terminal or axillary, many-flowered cymes; peduncles up to c. 0·5 cm. long, with a line of hairs like the internodes or glabrous; bracts whitish, 1–2 mm. long, membranous, lanceolate or ovate, acute; central flower sessile, laterals on pedicels up to 6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, 3–4 × 1·5 mm., lanceolate with a broad, green, somewhat keeled median zone and whitish, hyaline margins, apex blunt and hooked.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 5, sometimes 2–3 or rarely absent, c. 1·5 × 0·75 mm., membranous and transparent, elliptic, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3–5, alternating with the petals; filaments whitish, c. 1 mm. long, flattened, tapering upwards; anthers 0·2 mm. in diam., orbicular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary ellipsoid, multiovulate; style 0·25 mm. long with 3 spreading stigmatic arms c. 0·2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ellipsoid, slightly shorter than the persistent sepals, with 3 membranous semi-transparent valves.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds many, 0·4–0·5 × 0·3 mm., subcylindric and slightly arcuate with a minute lateral hilum nearer one end than the other; testa smooth, brown.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/136637664/136637678

Conservation

LC - least concern

Caryophyllaceae, W. B. Turrill. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1956

Morphology General Habit

Apparently an annual plant with much branched more or less ascending stems; lower internodes often pubescent, the upper with a line of hairs, or all internodes glabrescent to glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite or verticillate, linear-oblanceolate, 0.5–2.5 cm. long, pubescent to glabrous, with ovate or lanceolate stipules.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of many flowered cymes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sessile or lateral ones with pedicels up to 3 to 6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long, with a broad green median zone and transparent membranous margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals sometimes 2–3, sometimes apparently absent, 1–1.5 mm. long, thin and translucent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens (in flowers dissected) 3.

Figures

Fig. 2.

Habitat

Damp or marshy places, sandy river banks

Distribution

T1 T4 widely ranging in many tropical and some subtropical areas of both East and West Hemispheres, especially the latter

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident