Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Tracheophytes > Angiosperms > Eudicots > Asterids
- Order: Gentianales
- Family: Rubiaceae (coffee family)
- Genus: Spermacoce
- Species: Spermacoce ovalifolia
Authority
The species name Spermacoce ovalifolia has been attributed to botanists who described it within the genus Spermacoce. The precise author citation (e.g., “Spermacoce ovalifolia C.B.Clarke”) varies among taxonomic databases.
Description
- Spermacoce* species are generally herbaceous plants, often erect or prostrate, bearing opposite leaves and small, usually white or pinkish, four‑petaled flowers arranged in terminal or axillary inflorescences.
- The specific epithet “ovalifolia” denotes leaves that are broadly oval in shape. Consequently, S. ovalifolia is expected to exhibit such leaf morphology, although detailed measurements and diagnostic characters are not extensively documented in readily available sources.
Distribution and Habitat
Published distribution records for Spermacoce ovalifolia are limited. The genus Spermacoce is primarily tropical and subtropical, occurring in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Without precise herbarium or floristic references, the exact geographic range of S. ovalifolia cannot be definitively stated.
Ecology
Members of Spermacoce often inhabit disturbed sites, open fields, forest edges, and grasslands, where they may act as opportunistic colonizers. S. ovalifolia is presumed to share similar ecological preferences, but specific data on its habitat requirements, pollinators, or phenology are not documented in accessible literature.
Conservation Status
No assessment for Spermacoce ovalifolia appears in major conservation listings such as the IUCN Red List. Consequently, its conservation status is currently unknown.
Notes
- The information presented reflects the general characteristics of the genus Spermacoce and the inference that the species epithet “ovalifolia” indicates oval leaves.
- Detailed morphological descriptions, precise distribution, ecological interactions, and conservation assessments for Spermacoce ovalifolia are not comprehensively recorded in widely available encyclopedic resources.