马松子 Melochia corchorifolia

  • Scientific Name: Melochia corchorifolia L.
  • Ref: Sp. Pl.:675. 1753
  • Synonyms:
    • Geruma subtriloba Blanco
    • Hibiscus donii Walp.
    • H. endlicheri Walp.
    • Lochemia corchorifolia (L.) Arn.
    • L. supina (DC.) Arn. ex Voigt
    • Melochia affinis Wall.
    • M. burmanni Zoll. & Moritzi
    • M. concatenata L.
    • M. erecta Burm.f.
    • M. supina L.
    • M. truncata Willd.
    • Mougeotia corchorifolia (L.) Kunth
    • Polychlaena ramosa G.Don
    • P. simplex G.Don
    • Riedlea concatenata DC.
    • R. corchorifolia (L.) DC.
    • R. radiata Blume
    • R. supina (L.) DC.
    • R. truncata DC.
    • Visenia concatenata Spreng.
    • V. corchorifolia (L.) Spreng.
    • V. supina (L.) Spreng.
  • English Common Name: chocolateweed
  • Chinese Common Name: 马松子 mǎsōngzǐ
  • Japanese Common Name: ノジアオイ [野路葵] nojiaoi
  • Family: Malvaceae
  • Genus: Melochia
  • Distribution: Widespread weed. S of Chang Jiang [Japan; pantropical].
  • Photo: 09/24/2016, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Herbs or subshrubs, less than 1 m tall, erect or decumbent. Branches yellow-brown, sparsely stellate puberulent. Stipules linear, 2-4 mm; petiole 5-25 mm; leaf blade ovate, oblong-ovate, or lanceolate, rarely obscurely 3-lobed, 2.5-7 × 1-1.3 cm, thinly papery, abaxially sparsely stellate puberulent, adaxially nearly glabrous, basal veins 5, base rounded or cordate, margin dentate, apex acute or obtuse. Inflorescence a dense cyme or glomerule, terminal or axillary. Epicalyx lobes 4, linear, hairy. Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed, ca. 2.5 mm, abaxially villous and hispid, adaxially glabrous, lobes triangular. Petals 5, white, drying reddish, oblong, ca. 6 mm, narrowed at base. Stamens 5, connate at base, opposite petals. Ovary sessile, densely velutinous; styles 5, filiform. Capsule globose, 5-angular, 5-6 mm in diam., villous. Seeds 1 or 2 per cell, brown-black, ovoid, slightly triangular, 2-3 mm. Fl. summer-autumn. (Flora of China)

09/24/2016, Hangzhou, Zhejiang

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