Spermacoce capitata

Ruiz & Pav.

Rubiaceae

There is some disagreement over the correct name for this species. We are using the original name, Spermacoce capitata, which has been accepted for conservation and is treated as the correct name in the 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families' and many other recent publications. However, some other authorities, such as the online 'Flora Do Brasil' (2015) still accept Borreria capitata[

Title: Plants for a Future
Author: Ken Fern
Description: Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

+ Synonyms

Bigelovia cornifolia Heynh.

Borreria aturensis (Kunth) DC.

Borreria capitata (Ruiz & Pav.) DC.

Borreria coriacea Scheele

Borreria cornifolia (Fisch. ex Nees) DC.

Borreria elongata DC.

Borreria ferruginea (A.St.-Hil.) DC.

Borreria gracilis Scheele

Borreria kappleriana Miq.

Borreria lutescens DC.

Borreria procera Cham.

Borreria psyllioides DC.

Borreria rubrostipulata DC.

Borreria saturejifolia Cham. & Schltdl.

Borreria sphaerica DC.

Borreria strictissima DC.

Borreria suaveolens G.Mey.

Borreria tenella (Kunth) Cham. & Schltdl.

Jurgensia psylloides Raf.

Spermacoce aculeata Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.

Spermacoce aturensis Kunth

Spermacoce cornifolia Fisch. ex Nees

Spermacoce elongata Pohl ex DC.

Spermacoce fasciculata Pohl ex DC.

Spermacoce ferruginea A.St.-Hil.

Spermacoce globosa Pohl ex DC.

Spermacoce lavandulifolia Pohl ex DC.

Spermacoce lutescens Pohl ex DC.

Spermacoce oronocensis Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.

Spermacoce procera Hemsl.

Spermacoce rubrostipulata Pohl ex DC.

Spermacoce strictissima Pohl ex DC.

Spermacoce tenella Kunth

Spermacoce terminalis Vell.

Spermacoce tomentosa Vell.

Common Name:

Flowering stems, growing in native habitat amongst a tangle of other plants
Photograph by: C. M. Taylor

General Information

Borreria capitata is an erect, perennial plant growing up to 1 metre tall, producing a woody rootstock from which new herbaceous stems are formed.
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

369

Title: Flora of Costa Rica
Publication
Author: Standley P.C.
Website: http://www.archive.org/
Publisher: Field Museum of Natural History; Chicago
Year: 1938
ISBN
Description: Rather dated, but an excellent treatment of the area. Available for download from the internet.

Range

S. America - Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama, Costa Rica, Belize.

Habitat

Marshy meadows and open mountain slopes at elevations of 500 - 3,000 metres.

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The root is said to be used as a substitute for ipecacuanha[

Title: Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
Author: Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher: Weinheim
Year: 1959
ISBN: -
Description: An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

]. (Used mainly as an emetic[

Title: Plants for a Future
Author: Ken Fern
Description: Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

]).

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-04-24. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Spermacoce+capitata>

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