Sphagneticola trilobata

Sphagneticola trilobata View in CoL (L.) Pruski, Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 114. 1996. Silphium trilobatum L, Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2: 1233. 1759. Complaya trilobata (L.) Strother, Syst. Bot. Monogr. 33: 14. 1991. Seruneum trilobatum (L.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 365. 1891. Stemmodontia trilobata (L.) Small, Fl. S.E. U.S. 1262, 1340. 1903. Thelechitonia trilobata (L.) H.Rob. & Cuatrec., Phytologia 72(2): 142. 1992. Wedelia trilobata (L.) Hitchc., Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 4: 99. 1893.

English name: Singapore daisy, Creeping ox–eye, Creeping wedelia. Fig. 2 View Fig

Perennial procumbent herbs, up to 1 m long, terrestrial or semi-aquatic. Stems rooting at nodes, terete, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, green or reddish green. Leaves simple, opposite; petioles absent or up to 3 mm long; lamina lanceolate to elliptic, 3.4–8.7 × 1.7–4 cm, usually 3-lobed, base cuneate, margins distantly serrate, apex acute, glabrous to puberulent, dark green above, paler below. Capitulum terminal, radiate, many flowered; involucre c. 1 cm long, involucral bracts in 2(–3) series, green; peduncles 5.5–16 cm long. Ray florets 8–13 per capitulum, pistillate, ligulate; limb oblong to obovate, 7–17 × 2–5 mm, 3-lobed at apex, lower surface glandular, bright yellow. Disc florets many, bisexual, corolla 4–7 mm long, 5-lobed; lobes spreading. Stamens 0.17–0.3 mm long; anthers 1.2– 2.7 mm long. Pistil 2–3.5 mm long. Achenes pyriform, 2–5 mm long, green when young, brown and tuberculated at maturity; pappus cupuliform, of fused short fimbriate scales.

Flowering & fruiting: Flowering from March to October and fruiting from May to November.

Habitat: Naturalized populations of S. trilobata were found along the roadside, trails, grasslands, streamside, and in agricultural lands at an elevations of 600–900 m in middle mountain regions of the Kavrepalanchowk district. It was also recorded from forest margins of Alnus nepalensis D.Don ( Betulaceae ), Pinus roxburghii Sarg. ( Pinaceae ), and Shorea robusta C.F.Gaertn. ( Dipterocarpaceae ) dominated forests.On roadsides and in agricultural lands, species such as Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv., Imperata cylindrica (L.) P.Beauv. (both Poaceae ), Galinsoga parviflora Cav. ( Asteraceae ), Justicia simplex D.Don ( Acanthaceae ) and Lantana camara L. ( Verbenaceae ) were associated with S. trilobata .

Distribution: It is a native of tropical Americas with native distribution from Mexico to Brazil and naturalized in tropical to subtropical regions of Asia ( e.g. India, China, now also in Nepal), Africa ( e.g. Kenya, Benin) and Oceania ( e.g. Australia, Micronesia) ( CABI, 2020).

Specimens examined: NEPAL, Bagmati province, Kavrepalanchowk district, Panchkhal –03, N 27.64 ̊, E 85.62 ̊, 860 m, 01.07.2020, H. S GoogleMaps . Shrestha KPS01 ( TUCH, KATH); Panchkhal –02, Kafladi , N 27.422 ̊, E 85.612 ̊, 874 m, 03.07.2020, H. S GoogleMaps . Shrestha KPS05 ( TUCH, KATH); Panchkhal –03, N 27.642 ̊, E 85.612 ̊, 881 m, 03.07.2020, H. S GoogleMaps . Shrestha KPSO7 ( TUCH, KATH); Panchkhal –04, N 27.65 ̊, E 85.62 ̊, 850 m, 09.08.2020, H. S GoogleMaps . Shrestha KPS09 ( TUCH, KATH) .