Phyla nodiflora

Phyla nodiflora, the frog fruit, sawtooth fogfruit, or turkey tangle, is an ornamental plant in the family Verbenaceae, and is native to the area between the north of South America to the southern United States. It can be found in tropical areas around the globe, a naturalized species in many places. This plant is cited in Flora Brasiliensis by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius.

Phyla nodiflora

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Verbenaceae
Genus: Phyla
Species:
P. nodiflora
Binomial name
Phyla nodiflora

It is often grown ornamentally as a ground cover plant, and is often present in yards or disturbed areas as a lawn weed.

The inflorescence consists of a purple centre encircled by small white-to-pink flowers. The flower takes on a match-like look, which is why the plant is sometimes called matchweed. It is similar to the related species Phyla lanceolata, but differs in having much shorter leaves that are often blunt and much more rounded. Both species are common as weeds and in the ornamental environment.

Common names in India include bukkan (Hindi), ratolia, vakkan (Marathi), poduthalai (Tamil), vasir, and vasuka (Sanskrit). It is used medicinally to treat suppuration, common colds, and lithiasis.[2]

Synonyms

Lippia canescens Kunth, Lippia incasiomalo (Small) Tildsoan, Lippia lickiflora (L.) Michx., Lippia nodiflora var. canescens (Kunth) Kuntze, Lippia nodiflora var. reptans (Kunth) Kuntze, Lippia nodiflora var. rosea (D. Don) Munz, Lippia reptans Kunth, Polyumn incisa Small, Phyla nodiflora var. antillana Moldenke, Phyla nodiflora var. canescens (Kunth) Moldenke, Phyla nodiflora var. incisa (Small) Moldenke, Phyla nodiflora var. longifolia Moldenke, Phyla nodiflora var. repens (Spreng.) Moldenke, Phyla nodiflora var. reptans (Kunth) Moldenke, Phyla nodiflora var. rosea (D. Don) Moldenke, Phyla nodiflora var. texensis Moldenke.

Notes
  1. Gupta, A.K., Sadasivaiah, B. & Bhat, G.K. (2013). Phyla nodiflora. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T164053A19646880. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T164053A19646880.en. Downloaded on 27 October 2018.
  2. Pharmacopia indica.

References
  • Pink, A. (2004). Gardening for the Million. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.


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