Alternanthera ficoidea (L.) P.Beauv.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Colombia

Distribution

Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Bogotá DC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, native grassland.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Amaranthaceae, C. C. Townsend. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology General Habit

Erect or ascending, bushy perennial herb (commonly cultivated as an annual), c. 5–45 cm. tall, stem and branches villous when young but soon glabrescent, older parts terete, younger bluntly quadrangular.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves narrowly or more broadly elliptical to oblanceolate or rhomboid-ovate, acute to acuminate at the apex, attenuate into a slender, indistinctly demarcated petiole below, thinly furnished with fine, whitish hairs to subglabrous, often reddish or purple suffused and not rarely variegated.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Heads axillary, sessile, usually solitary, globose to ovoid, 4–6 mm. in diam.; bracts pale, deltoid-ovate, c. 2 mm. long, glabrous, lacerate-margined, aristate with the excurrent midrib; bracteoles similar but slightly shorter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal

Tepals white, lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, 3.5–4 mm. long, acute, mucronate with the excurrent midrib; outer 2 prominently 3-nerved below and darker in the nerved area, with a line of whitish, minutely barbellate hairs on each side of this area, the hairs becoming denser towards the base of the tepal; inner 2 slightly shorter, narrower and less rigid, mostly 1–2-nerved; central tepal intermediate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5, at anthesis much exceeding the ovary and style, the alternating pseudostaminodes subequalling the filaments plus anthers, narrowly oblong, laciniate at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary strongly compressed, obpyriform, 0.6 mm. long, style about the same length.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Ripe fruit and seeds not seen.