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Phyla nodiflora

(L.) Greene (1899)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Lamiales Family: Verbenaceae Genus: Phyla

carpet grass, mat grass, phyla

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Perennial herbs.

Stems: Branches many, creeping, rooting at distal nodes, minutely strigose.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades spatulate, 1-3 X 0.5-1.5 cm. Base cuneate. Blade papery, surfaces pubescent. Margins distally sharply serrate. Veins inconspicuously 4-paired. Subsessile. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Inflorescences cylindric to ovate capitula, 1-2.5 cm; peduncle 1-7 cm. Flowers perfect. Calyx membranous, 2-lipped, 4-lobed. Corolla pinkish purple or white, glabrous. Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted on distal part of corolla tube, included. Ovary superior, 2-locular; ovule 1 per locule; style short; stigma capitate.

Fruit: Capsules ca. 1.5 mm in diameter; splitting into 2 1-seeded cocci.

Ploidy: 2n = 36

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll) Naturalized
Kaua'i Potentially naturalizing
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Potentially naturalizing

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean

Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Specimens

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Bibliography

Name Published In: Pittonia 4: 46 (1899)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1316 (noted as cult. and potential escape); Starr et al. 2002:26 (NEWNAT/Mi, WM); Staples & Herbst 2005:555 (KEY), 566 (DESCR); Kennedy et al. 2010:24 (O, Mo); Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:217 (K)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Phyla nodiflora Manoa Campus, U. of H used as ground cover Preserved_Specimen decumbent herb. Flowers pale purple with yellow throat Herbst, D.R. 635 Oahu BISH 1967-10-07
2 Phyla nodiflora East Maui, Wailuku District, at Kanaha Beach Park Scattered in lawn. Associated vegetation: Indigofera suffruticosa, Cynodon dactylon. Preserved_Specimen Prostrate, perennial herb, rooting at the nodes. No fruit or flowers found. Starr, F. 111232 Maui BISH 2001-11-23
3 Phyla nodiflora W Maui, Lahaina District, Launiupoko Beach Park Just above high tide on berm betw sand & lawn. Associated vegetation: Prosopis pallida, lawn. Preserved_Specimen Crawling (mat like), prostrate herb rooting at nodes; lvs small, green, toothed, succulent; flowers and fruits numerous on dense spikes. Starr, F. 6111 Maui BISH 2000-06-11
4 Phyla nodiflora W Maui, Wailuku District, Kahului Growing in sandy soil on side of rd w. Cynodon, Cenchrus, Malva, Chamaesyce, Asystasia, Alternanthera, & Verbesina. Preserved_Specimen Trailing & mat-forming. Oppenheimer, H.L. 40137 Maui BISH 2001-04-23
5 Phyla nodiflora Kaelepulu Pond, Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii Growing on an exposed mud flat at the south end of the pond, Devries Property. Preserved_Specimen Low growing matt forming plant, flowers form on central core. Crago, L.M. 2005235 Oahu BISH 2005-11-18
6 Phyla nodiflora East Maui, Makawao District, Makawao Preserved_Specimen Duvall, F. Maui BISH 2006-07-18
7 Phyla nodiflora Kamiloloa Along roadside. Preserved_Specimen Forming large patches. Oppenheimer, H.L. 70121 Molokai BISH 2001-07-14
8 Phyla nodiflora Ko'olauloa District, Pupukea. Possibly naturalized in yard area. Preserved_Specimen Sprawling plants with purple flowers. Oppenheimer, H.L. 70920 Oahu BISH 2009-07-22
9 Phyla nodiflora Koloa District. Lawai Valley. National Tropical Botanical Garden. Weed in lawn around edge of lilypond in Big Valley Mat-forming herb; stems prostrate, rooting at nodes. Preserved_Specimen Leaves leathery, dark dll green above, dull, paler below; inflorescence erect, corolia pale pink with rose throat to whitish with yellow throat. Flynn, T.W. 6635 Kauai BISH 1999-09-22
10 Phyla nodiflora Kamoa State Historical Park, North Kona Growing along coastline next to a rock wall adjoining adjacent house lot. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Hawaii BISH 1985-09-03
11 Phyla nodiflora Central Maui, southern coast of isthmus, Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge Extensive creeper on dikes of impoundment basins adjacent to main office. Growing with Atriplex, Cynodon dactylon. Preserved_Specimen Appears to be spreading. Imada, C. 9820 Maui BISH 1998-10-06
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