Spermacoce

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Spermococe

Spermacoce ocymoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Rubiaceae
Subfamily:	Rubioideae
Tribe:	Spermacoceae
Genus:	Spermacoce L.

Spermacoce (or False Buttonweed) is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It comprises about 275 species found throughout the tropics and subtropics. Its highest diversity is found in the Americas, followed by Africa, Australia and Asia.

Description

The species are herbs or small shrubs with small- to medium-sized, four-lobed flowers arranged in capitate inflorescences. Some have a brightly coloured calyx and are eye-catching, particularly the Australian species. The corolla is variable in colour, often white, but also all shades of blue, pink and maroon. The fruit is usually a two-seeded capsule, sometimes a schizocarp or nut.

Species

It is a highly diverse genus with about 275 species.

External links

Spermacoce in West African plants – A Photo Guide.

Gallery

Spermacoce articularis in Hyderabad, India
Spermacoce terminalis
Spermacoce ocymoides at Ananthagiri Hills, in Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Spermacoce pusilla in Hyderabad, India.

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