Description: Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, prostrate to erect.
Leaves opposite, occasionally crowded and appearing whorled, shortly petiolate, often appearing sessile. Stipules sheathing; margin fimbriate.
Inflorescence a terminal, compact capitulum or axillary clusters, often subtended by one or more pairs leafy bracts. Flowers bisexual, subsessile, intermixed with numerous filiform structures (‘pales’). Calyx usually 4-lobed, occasionally 2-lobed (not in NSW), persistent in fruit. Corolla narrowly cylindrical to broadly funnel-shaped; lobes valvate, sometimes with appendages on inner surface (not in NSW). Stamens 4, inserted on corolla tube, included in or exserted from (not in NSW) corolla tube. Ovary 2-locular; ovules 1 per loculus; nectary disc on top of ovary, often papillose; style filiform; stigma mostly 2-lobed, included in or exserted from (not in NSW) corolla tube.
Fruit a capsule, usually 2-valved, dehiscing septicidally. Seeds smooth to deeply reticulate, with raphides around the margin of ventral groove, often with persistent obturator (not in NSW).
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 300 species tropical and subtropical, Australia: c.70 species currently described, with much undescribed species diversity likely in Western Australia (Kimberley region) and north Queensland.
Text by Adapted from T.A. James and Harwood & Dessein by K.L. Gibbons, Oct 2019.
Taxon concept: T.A. James, Flora of NSW, Vol 3; Harwood, R. and Dessein, S. (2005) Australian Spermacoce (Rubiaceae: Spermacoceae). I. Northern Territory. Australian Systematic Botany 18, 297–365
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