Spergula
Content
Description
Annual, rarely perennial herbs.
Leaves stipulate, linear, decussate, apparently whorled due to short, leafy shoots occurring in the leaf axils on both sides.
Stipules scarious.
Flowers subperigynous with short hypanthium.
Sepals 5, free, green with scarious margin.
Petals 5, white, entire.
Stamens 10, rarely 5.
Capsule ovoid or spherical, dehiscing by (3-)5 valves.
Seeds ± lenticular, often winged or keeled.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Mediterranean present, Patagonia present
Six species of which five are chiefly Mediterranean and one in Patagonia Spergula arvensis is a weed worldwide, also found occasionally in Malesia.