Copy permalink to share

Phyllanthus caroliniensis Walter. Common name: Carolina Leaf-flower. Phenology: Jun-Nov. Habitat: Roadsides, moist woodlands, forests, and fields, often in seasonally wet, muddy places. Distribution: PA and IL south to c. peninsular FL and TX, and south to Argentina and Paraguay, the original range not clear, and perhaps introduced in part of its current range.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = S; = Phyllanthus caroliniensis Walter ssp. caroliniensis — Ar, Fl2, FNA12, K4, Tx, Va, Govaerts, Frodin, & Radcliffe-Smith (2000), Webster (1970); = Phyllanthus caroliniensis Walter var. caroliniensis — C, WH3; < Phyllanthus carolinensis Walter — GW2, Mex, S13, orthographic variant; < Phyllanthus caroliniensis Walter — F, G, GrPl, Il, NcTx, Pa, RAB, Tat, W, WV3, Bouman et al (2022); Phyllanthus caroliniensis Walter — (basionym)

Links to other floras: = Phyllanthus caroliniensis ssp. caroliniensis - FNA12

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus

Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
  • Great Plains: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 6

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Herbert L. Amyx | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Herbert L. Amyx | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Lowell Urbatsch CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Paul Marcum source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Paul Marcum source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something wrong or missing on about Phyllanthus caroliniensis? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months.


Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect-spreading annual of roadsides, moist woodlands, forests, fields and seasonally wet, muddy places.

Stems: Stems slender, with many long, arching-ascending branches; green to reddish and smooth.

Leaves: Leaves alternate and 2-ranked on the stem, short-petiolate, elliptic to oval or oblong-oval, to 3/4 in. long, smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in clusters of 2-4 in leaf axils, greenish-white, about 1/8 in. wide, consisting of 6 calyx lobes (no petals) and a round ovary (female flower) or 3 stamens (male flower).

Fruits: Fruit a tiny, flattened-round, 3-celled capsule.

Comments:

Height: 5-18 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect-spreading annual of roadsides, moist woodlands, forests, fields and seasonally wet, muddy places.

stems: Stems slender, with many long, arching-ascending branches; green to reddish and smooth.

leaves: Leaves alternate and 2-ranked on the stem, short-petiolate, elliptic to oval or oblong-oval, to 3/4 in. long, smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in clusters of 2-4 in leaf axils, greenish-white, about 1/8 in. wide, consisting of 6 calyx lobes (no petals) and a round ovary (female flower) or 3 stamens (male flower).

fruits: Fruit a tiny, flattened-round, 3-celled capsule.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:

« show previous | back to original search ↑