Common name: Broad-leaf buttonweed.
Broad-leaf buttonweed is a common herb in our areas, often seen on road-sides, forest-edges and fallow lands. The plant has a thick-set rectangular stem which frequently root at nodes and forms a branched web on the floor. It is native to tropical America. It is a near prostrate plant, sometimes seen upright and can grow to around 1 feet high. The simple leafs are arranged in an opposite manner, the leaf margin is entire. The leaf has a very small leaf stalk. They are ovate with an acute tip and has a tapering base. The leaf lamella has shallow strictures on the upper surface along the nerves. On the undersurface of leaf the nerves extrude out of the lamella. The axillary inflorescence is a closely packed with 7-8 flower buds. The flowers are tubular with four petals which are light purple in color. The four stamens stick out from the tubular the flower. The spermacoce genus belongs to the Rubiaceae family and consists of 275 species. They generally belong to the topical and sub tropical areas. They are mostly small herbs or shrubs. They have 4 lobed flower which are pink or white.
