Phyllanthus caroliniensis Walter

Carolina Leaf Flower

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Carolina Leaf Flower is a native herbaceous annual in the Leaf Flower family (Phyllanthaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Carolina Leaf Flower occurs in open moist sites such as on the banks of streams and ponds, in wet roadside ditches, and in low woods. It is an annual with a taproot. The stems are erect to arching, round in cross section, slightly winged, glabrous, and green or reddish-brown in color. The stems often have 5 or more lateral branches. Leaves are distichous (arranged alternately in two opposite vertical rows), short petiolate, oblong to obovate in outline, glabrous, with entire margins. The leaves are subtended by auriculate, reddish-brown stipules. Flowers are produced in cymules in the axils of the leaves. Each cymule has 1 staminate flower and 2-3 pistillate flowers. Staminate flowers have 6 yellowish-green sepals, 6 glands, and 3 stamens. Pistillate flowers have 6 green or reddish sepals and a cupular nectary. The fruit is a capsule on a strongly reflexed pedicel.—A. Diamond.

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Native FAC+ (NWPL)

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