Kingdom Plantae Family Caryophyllaceae Scientific name Polycarpaea spicata Rank Species | Order Caryophyllales Genus Polycarpaea Higher classification Polycarpaea | |
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Similar Polycarpaea, Caryophyllaceae, Caryophyllales, Polycarpaea nivea, Blepharis ciliaris | ||
Polycarpaea spicata is a species of plant in the Caryophyllaceae family. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Distribution; North West of India, Arabia, Egypt, N. Australia.
Annual herb, with woody tap root. Stems 5-10 cm, erect to ascending, slender, many, arising from the base, purplish-brown, glabrous. Leaves 5-15 x 3-5 somewhat thick, obovate to spathulate, basal leaves forming a rosette, cauline apparently whorled at the nodes, at the point of branching. Stipules lanceolate, lacerate, acuminate. Flowers sessile in dense, terminal spikes with long peduncles. Sepals 2.5-3 mm, lanceolate, with a brown midrib at the back. Petals small, oblong. Capsule included, about ½ the length of the sepals. Seeds small, subtrigonous, shining. Shining.