Dichondra repens
| Dichondra repens | |
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| At Eastwood, Australia | |
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| Species: | D. repens
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| Binomial name | |
| Dichondra repens | |
Dichondra repens is a small, prostrate, herbaceous plant native to New Zealand and many parts of Australia. It is commonly known as kidney weed in Australia and as Mercury Bay weed in New Zealand.
The plant often occurs in forest, woodland, and grassland habitat types. It can also be found in lawns, where it may be deliberately planted or come up as a weed. [1] In California as well as parts of China[citation needed], it has escaped gardens and naturalised in some habitats.[2]
Description
The plant has a creeping habit, with roots forming at the nodes. The leaves are kidney-shaped and measure 0.5 to 2.5 cm (0.2-1 in) long. The tiny yellowish-green flowers form mostly in summer, but can appear at any time of the year. The fruit is a hairy, two-lobed capsule.
Originally described by botanists Johann Reinhold Forster and Georg Forster, its specific epithet is the Latin adjective repens, meaning "creeping".[3]
Cultivation
This species is cultivated as an ornamental plant, and can be used as a lawn substitute or groundcover in gardens.[4][5]
References
- ^ "Dichondra repans (kidney weed)". UC IPM—Weed Gallery. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
- ^ "Dichondra micrantha". Calflora database. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
- ^ Simpson DP (1979). Cassell's Latin Dictionary (5 ed.). London: Cassell Ltd. ISBN 0-304-52257-0.
- ^ "Growing Dichondra repens". GardenWeb. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
- ^ http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/toolbox6/hort6/html/resources/depot/hort_file/plant_product/plant_planet_pages/dichondra_repens.html
External links
- Plant Net — Dichondra repens. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
- New Zealand Plant Conservation Network: Dichondra repens.
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