Common name: Mexican Tea, Wormseed
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants APNI* Synonyms: Chenopodium ambrosiodes L. APNI*
Chenopodium ambrosioides L. APNI*
Chenopodium anthelminticum L. APNI*
Chenopodium ambrosioides var. anthelminticum (L.) A.Gray APNI*
Description: Perennial, aromatic woody herb to 1 m high.
Leaves elliptic to lanceolate, to 20 cm long, to 4 cm wide, coarsely toothed, becoming smaller and less toothed towards the apex; lower surface covered with yellow glandular hairs; petiolate.
Inflorescence of small clusters though sometimes reduced to a single flower, in either large leafy or virtually leafless panicles to 40 cm long though usually much smaller. Terminal flowers of the cluster bisexual, 1–1.5 mm diam.; perianth segments 5, fused below, glabrous; stamens 5; ovary pubescent above midway; stigmas 3 or 4. Lateral flowers female, 0.5–1 mm diam.; perianth 5-lobed, fused for almost entire length.
Seed c. 1 mm diam., glossy.
Distribution and occurrence: Almost cosmop. weed. Native of Trop. Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *NWS, *CWS, *SWS, *SWP
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990) as Chenopodium ambroioides
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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