Phyla canescens
| Phyla canescens | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Verbenaceae |
| Genus: | Phyla |
| Species: | P. canescens
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| Binomial name | |
| Phyla canescens | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Phyla canescens is a species of perennial herbaceous plant in the family Verbenaceae, native to South America. It has been introduced to Australia as an ornamental plant and low-maintenance lawn, but has become naturalised and is considered a serious environmental weed. It is known by several common names including carpet weed, Condamine couch, Condamine curse, fog fruit, frog fruit, hairy fogfruit, lippia, mat grass and no-mow grass.[1]
Description
Phyla canescens is a much-branched, low, creeping perennial plant with wiry stems up to a metre long. The stems are often pinkish or brownish, producing adventitious roots at the joints and forming a tangled, dense mat. Older stems are grey and woody. The small, greyish-green and slightly fleshy leaves have short stalks and are in opposite pairs; the margins are either entire or have a few blunt teeth.[1] The inflorescence is a dense, globular cluster of flowers, borne on a stalk in the axil of the leaves. The individual flowers have a short tube and five petal-like lobes, and are about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long; they are white, pale pink or pale purple, with yellow centres. They are followed by small dry fruits, which remain hidden in the dried-up flower head until they split in two, when the conditions are suitable for germination.[1]
Distribution
Phyla canescens is native to South America but has spread to many other parts of the world as an agricultural weed and an invasive plant.[2]
Ecology
Phyla canescens is capable of setting seed by self-pollination but has no particular adaptations for this. In Australia, it was found that it is usually pollinated by the honey bee (Apis mellifera), an introduced species, just as the plant is a non-native species. In the absence of honey bees, little seed was set.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d "Phyla canescens". Weeds of Australia. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ a b Gross, C.L.; Gorrell, L.; MacDonald, M.J.; Fatemi, M. (2010). "Honeybees facilitate the invasion of Phyla canescens (Verbenaceae) in Australia – no bees, no seed!". Weed Research. 50 (4): 364–372. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3180.2010.00788.x.
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