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abnormal leaflower, Drummond's leaf-flower

gulf leaf-flower

Habit Herbs, annual, sometimes becoming woody and then appearing to be perennial, monoecious, 1–5 dm; branching phyllanthoid. Herbs, annual, monoecious, 1–4 dm; branching phyllanthoid.
Stems

main stems persistent, terete, not winged, glabrous or scabridulous; ultimate branchlets deciduous, subterete, not winged, glabrous or scabridulous.

main stems angled, not winged, glabrous; ultimate branchlets subterete, narrowly winged, ± scabridulous.

Leaves

on main stems spiral, scalelike;

stipules not auriculate, pale reddish brown.;

leaves on ultimate branchlets distichous, well developed;

stipules not auriculate, greenish white;

blade elliptic to oblong, 3–10 × 1–4 mm, base cuneate to subcordate, apex obtuse to emarginate, both surfaces glabrous or scabridulous.

on main stems spiral, scalelike;

stipules not auriculate, pale green to nearly white.;

leaves on ultimate branchlets distichous, well developed;

stipules not auriculate, pale green to nearly white;

blade elliptic-oblong, 6–11 × 3–5 mm, base cuneate to obtuse, apex rounded, both surfaces glabrous.

Inflorescences

cymules, proximal staminate with 2 flowers, distal bisexual with 1 pistillate flower and 1–3 staminate flowers.

cymules or flowers solitary, unisexual, proximal with 2–3 staminate flowers, distal with 1 pistillate flower.

Pedicels

staminate 0.7–1.5 mm, pistillate spreading in fruit, (1–)1.5–3(–3.5) mm.

staminate 0.2–0.5 mm, pistillate spreading in fruit, 1.3–2 mm.

Staminate flowers

sepals 5–6 in basal cymules, 4 in distal cymules, pale yellowish green, sometimes suffused with red, flat, 0.5–1 mm;

nectary extrastaminal, 4(–6) glands;

stamens 2(–3 in basal cymules), filaments connate throughout.

sepals 6, white to pale yellow, flat, 0.4–0.7 mm;

nectary extrastaminal, 6 glands;

stamens 3, filaments connate throughout.

Pistillate flowers

sepals 5–6, green with nearly white margins, flat, (0.5–)0.7–1.1 mm, 1-veined;

nectary 3 glands (2-fid distally, thus resembling 6 glands).

sepals 6, green with broad white margins, flat, (1–)1.2–1.5 mm, 1-veined;

nectary annular, 6–9-lobed.

Capsules

2.3–2.7 mm diam., smooth.

2.1 mm diam., smooth.

Seeds

uniformly brown, 1.1–1.5 mm, longitudinally ribbed.

uniformly brown, 0.9–1.1 mm, longitudinally ribbed.

Phyllanthus abnormis

Phyllanthus fraternus

Phenology Flowering and fruiting year-round.
Habitat Fields, roadsides, gardens, other disturbed areas.
Elevation 0–30 m. (0–100 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; NM; OK; TX; ne Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; TX; s Asia (India, Pakistan) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in West Indies, Bermuda, w Asia, Africa, Indian Ocean Islands]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Phyllanthus fraternus, native to Pakistan and northwest India, apparently was introduced into the United States in the 1950s, first in Louisiana, and has spread mainly along the Gulf Coast.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Pistillate nectary glands strongly unequal, spatulate, as long as or longer than broad; leaf blades glabrous on both surfaces or sparsely to moderately scabridulous abaxially; bisexual cymules with 1 staminate flower.
var. abnormis
1. Pistillate nectary glands subequal, reniform, broader than long; leaf blades densely scabridulous on both surfaces; bisexual cymules with 1–3 staminate flowers.
var. riograndensis
Source FNA vol. 12, p. 343. FNA vol. 12, p. 342.
Parent taxa Phyllanthaceae > Phyllanthus Phyllanthaceae > Phyllanthus
Sibling taxa
P. acidus, P. amarus, P. angustifolius, P. caroliniensis, P. ericoides, P. evanescens, P. fluitans, P. fraternus, P. liebmannianus, P. niruri, P. pentaphyllus, P. polygonoides, P. tenellus, P. urinaria, P. warnockii
P. abnormis, P. acidus, P. amarus, P. angustifolius, P. caroliniensis, P. ericoides, P. evanescens, P. fluitans, P. liebmannianus, P. niruri, P. pentaphyllus, P. polygonoides, P. tenellus, P. urinaria, P. warnockii
Subordinate taxa
P. abnormis var. abnormis, P. abnormis var. riograndensis
Synonyms P. niruri var. scabrellus
Name authority Baillon: Adansonia 1: 42. (1860) G. L. Webster: Contr. Gray Herb. 176: 53. (1955)
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