Potentilla indica (Andrews) Th. Wolf

Indian Strawberry; Mock Strawberry

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Mock Strawberry is an introduced herbaceous perennial in the Rose family (Rosaceae). It is native to Asia and can be found statewide in Alabama. Mock Strawberry occurs in lawns, on roadsides, in fallow fields, in disturbed woodlands, and along streams. It is a perennial with fibrous roots, a basal rosette of leaves, and long arching or creeping stolons that form new plants when in contact with the soil. The plant often forms extensive clones. The leaves are evergreen, petiolate, and ternately compound. The leaflets are ovate to elliptic in outline, pubescent, with serrate or crenate margins. Flowers are solitary from the axils of the leaves. Flowers are on straight pedicels that are longer than the petioles of the subtending leaves. Each flower has five 3-lobed bracts, five sepals, and five yellow petals. Flowers have 20-30 stamens of 3 different lengths and 50-100 carpels. The petals are easily detached. The fruit is an accessory fruit consisting of an enlarged fleshy receptacle that is red on the exterior and white on the interior and 50-100 1-seeded red achenes attached to the surface. The fruit are edible but are somewhat dry and lacking in flavor. For many years this species was known as Duchesnea indica (Andrews) Teschemacher. Mock Strawberry is often a difficult to eradicate weed in flower beds and lawns. It is sometimes sold as a ground cover for shady, moist areas. In Asia the crushed leaves are used as a poultice for burns and skin ailments.--A. Diamond

**

Not Native

**