Capeweed

Title

Capeweed

Authors

Ethan H. Freid

Scientific Name

Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene

Description

Family

Verbenaceae

Phyla nodiflora a creeping herb up to 10 m in length that roots at its nodes. The main stem sends up erect branches that terminate in inflorescences. The leaves are arranged oppositely with leaves up to 8 cm in length with serrate leaf margins.

The flowers are arranged in dense compact heads that elongate to form a spike that arises from leaf axils on long peduncles (up to 15 cm in height). Each flower has an involucral bract. The calyx has four fused sepals forming a short tube. There are four fused petals forming a tube with five lobes. The corolla is purple or white with a yellow center. The ovary is superior and has two locules. The fruit is a capsule

Phyla nodiflora grows in wet locations along the edges of ponds and ephemeral fresh water wetlands, palmetto savannahs and human disturbed areas.

Phyla nodiflora occurs on all island groups within the Bahamian Archipelago as well as the eastern United States. It has spread throughout the subtropical or tropical regions of the entire planet.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage

Phyla nodiflora has no known medicinal plant usage in the Bahamian Archipelago. In India P. nodiflora is used to drain abscesses, treat colds and calcium accretions in organs (i.e., kidney stones).  It can be used as a ground cover but does not take heavy or medium foot traffic.