Alternanthera pungens

Kunth in A. von Humboldt et al.

in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 2: 206. 1818.

WeedyIntroduced
Synonyms: Achyranthes leiantha (Seubert) Standley
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 450. Mentioned on page 448.

Herbs, perennial, 3–8 dm. Stems prostrate, villous. Leaves sessile; blade oval to obovate, usually as broad as long, 1.3–3 × 1.1–1.7 cm, apex rounded, pilose, glabrate. Inflorescences axillary, sessile; heads stramineous, globose to ovoid, 0.6–1 × 0.6–0.7 cm; bracts equaling tepals, apex attenuate. Flowers: tepals dimorphic, stramineous, lanceolate, 5–7 mm, apex acuminate, spinose-tipped, sparsely villous, hairs barbed; stamens 5; anthers 3–5, globose; pseudostaminodes triangular, shorter than filaments, margins dentate. Utricles included within tepals, brown, compressed, 1.8 mm, apex truncate. Seeds lenticular, 1.3–1.5 mm.


Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Waste grounds, cleared limestone areas
Elevation: 0-1500 m

Distribution

V4 886-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Ala., Fla., La., N.Y., Tex., West Indies, South America

Discussion

Alternanthera pungens was long known as A. repens (Linnaeus) Link, a later homonym of A. repens J. F. Gmelin.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Alternanthera pungens"
3 +  and 5 +
truncate +  and spinose-tipped +
villous +, glabrate +  and pilose +
acuminate;attenuate;rounded +
Steven E. Clemants +
Kunth in A. von Humboldt et al. +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
oval +  and obovate +
1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 m <br /> (1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br />) +
Ala. +, Fla. +, La. +, N.Y. +, Tex. +, West Indies +  and South America +
0-1500 m +
peripheral +
hypogynous +
minute +  and small +
not +  and dehiscent +
Waste grounds, cleared limestone areas +
several-flowered +
stramineous +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
globose +  and ovoid +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
subtending +
Flowering summer–fall. +
in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. +
reddish-brown +
lenticular +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
Weedy +  and Introduced +
several-flowered +
cylindric +
erect +  and ascending +
2-lobed +  and capitate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Achyranthes leiantha +
Alternanthera pungens +
Alternanthera +
species +
stramineous +
distinct +
lanceolate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
indurate +, membranaceous +, chartaceous +  and scarious +
indehiscence +
compressed +
1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br /> (?) +