Polycarpaea repens

Species of plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Polycarpaea repens is a low-growing herbaceous plant belonging to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is indigenous to arid and semi-arid regions across North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and into Pakistan.[1]

Clade:Tracheophytes
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Order:Caryophyllales
Quick facts Scientific classification, Binomial name ...
Polycarpaea repens
Polycarpaea repens in southern Qatar
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Polycarpaea
Species:
P. repens
Binomial name
Polycarpaea repens
(Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf.[1]
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Description

Polycarpaea repens is an annual or short-lived perennial, with a woody base and spreading, slender branches. Its size ranges from 5 to 30 cm.[2] It forms low, hairy, sprawling mats. Small leaves bear rough stipules, and its flowers are diminutive. The fruit is a small, many-seeded capsule.[3]

Habitat

This species typically occupies sandy or stony soils and is frequently found in sabkha margins, sand sheets, and gravel plains.[3]

Distribution

It naturally occurs from the Sahara through the Persian Gulf States to Pakistan.[1]

Folk use

In Qatar, local Bedouin accounts note its traditional use in treating camel mange and as an antidote for snakebites.[2]

References

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