RUBIACEZ, CLXXXVI. Spermacoce. 
CLXXXVI. SPERMACO'CE (from ozeppa, sperma, a 
seed, and axwkn, akoke, a point; in allusion to the capsule being 
crowned by the calycine points). Meyer, fl. esseq. p. 79. Cham. 
et Schlecht. in Linnea. 3. p. 355. D. C. prod. 4. p. 552.— 
Spermacéce species, Lin. Lam. Spreng. &c.—Spermacoce, Co- 
velia, and Chenocarpus, Neck. elem. no. 336, 337? and 339. 
Lin. syst. Tetraéndria, Monogynia. Calyx with an ovate 
or turbinate tube, and a 2-4-lobed limb (f. 108. a. b.), and 
sometimes accessory teeth in the recesses of the primary lobes. 
Corolla salver-shaped, or funnel-shaped, 4-lobed (f. 108. c.). 
Stigma bifid or undivided. Capsule crowned by the limb of 
the calyx (f. 108. f.), which is often obliterated, 2-celled; nuts 
1-seeded, dividing into 2 parts from the apex : the one part closed 
by the adnate dissepiment, and the other open, Seed oval-ob- 
long, marked inside by a longitudinal furrow.—Herbs or sub- 
shrubs. Branches or stems usually tetragonal. Leaves opposite, 
Stipulas combined with the petioles, sheathing, fringed by numer- 
ous bristles, Flowers axillary, sessile, crowded, verticillate, 
or semi-verticillate, white, red, or blue.x—The fruit of this 
genus is drawn with great character in Geertn. fruct. 1. t. 25.— 
The fruit of a great number of the plants still preserved in this 
genus being unknown, many of them will yet be expelled, when 
proper specimens can be procured. 
* Species natives of America. 
1 S. renv‘ror (Lin. spec. p. 147.) stems herbaceous, branch- 
ed; branches tetragonal, with the angles smooth or scabrous; 
leaves lanceolate, on very short petioles, rather scabrous above 
and on the margins; bristles of stipulas hardly longer than the 
sheath; flowers disposed in sessile axillary fascicles, semi-ver~ 
ticillate ; stamens inclosed ; capsule oval, usually hairy, crowned 
hy the 4 short, acute calycine teeth. ©. F. Native of the 
West India Islands, as of Jamaica, Martinico, Porto-Rico, 
Cuba, St. Domingo, &c., as well as of Peru, Panama, Carolina, 
very frequent, S. lanceolata and S. dichótoma, Willd. in herb. 
S. parviflòra, Salisb. prod. p. 60.—Dill. elth. p. 370. t. 359. 
am. ill. t, 62. f. 1. There are varieties of this species (ex 
Swartz, obs. p. 43.) with smooth, pubescent, and straight or 
ascending stems; narrow and broader leaves; whorled or solitary 
flowers ; smooth or hispid fruit, having one of the parts or 
wu bearing 3 of the calycine teeth, and the other bearing 
ie ae The varieties are so numerous, and run so gradu- 
y Into each other, as hardly to be distinguished, many speci- 
mens of which are to be found in herbaria, under various names, 
iy their different habits; as P. assúrgens, Spreng. syst. 1. p. 
ie i atie of Porto-Rico, but not of the fl. per. ; and Sperm. 
othe ‘a, Bartl. in herb. Henke, &c. Some specimens are 
i e at the base, and others are herbaceous, Perhaps 
lina S form a congeries of species, of which some may be 
AE tely distinguished from each other. The flowers in most 
e varieties are of a white or pink colour, and one is said 
to have yellow flowers. 
lender Spermacoce. Fl. June, Aug. Clt. 1792. Pl. 1 to 3 ft. 
2 S. Porrorice’nsts (Balb. in herb. Bert. ex D. C. prod. 4. 
ONA stem herbaceous, glabrous, tetragonal ; leaves elliptic- 
S acuminated at both ends, on very short petioles, gla- 
lea Kipo rather downy, having the bristles longer than 
fruit oo ; flowers axillary, sessile, crowded, semi-verticillate ; 
Nati oval, rather downy, somewhat truncate at the apex.— 
ive of Porto-Rico, where it was collected by Bertero. Per- 
aps sufficiently distinct from S. tenùior. 
orto-Rico Button-weed. Pl. 1 to 2 feet. 
mai S. To RRA (Aubl. guian. 1. p. 59. t. 21.) stem herba- 
BURN glabrous, dichotomous, and are, as well as the branches, 
pa he, tetragonal; leaves oval-oblong, tapering to both ends, 
Short petioles, scabrous above between the nerves and on the 
619 
margins, and pilose on the nerves beneath; stipulas downy, 
bearing each 5-7 bristles, and short hairs between these bristles ; 
whorles axillary, few-flowered ; fruit ovate, downy, crowned by 
the 4 short teeth of the calyx. h.S. Native of French Guiana. 
S. fruticosa, Poir. Flowers white. Stems reddish. 
Long-leaved Button-weed. Shrub. 
4 S. caru‘zea (Pohl. in litt. ex D. C. prod. 4. p. 552.) stem 
herbaceous, almost tetragonal, downy ; leaves elliptic-oblong, 
acute, petiolate, glabrous, downy on the nerves beneath ; sti- 
pulas downy, bearing 5-7 bristles, which are a little longer than 
the sheath; flowers axillary, sessile, crowded, semi-verticillate ; 
fruit oval, downy, truncate at the apex.-—Native of Brazil, 
where it was collected by Pohl. Flowers blue. Very nearly 
allied to S. tenùior, but is very distinct. 
Blue-flowered Button-weed. Pl. 1 to 2 feet ? 
5 S. ripa‘ria (Cham, et Schlecht. in Linnea. 3. p. 355.) quite 
glabrous; stems loose, fistular, tetragonal, suffrutescent at the 
base; leaves lanceolate, acute, with scabrous margins; bristles 
of stipulas 5, longer than the sheath; flowers terminal in the 
upper axils, disposed in whorled heads; stamens almost in- 
closed ; capsule ovate, glabrous; teeth of calyx 6-7, acute, at 
length obliterated. 2/. S. Native of Brazil, on the banks of 
the Rio Negro. 
River-side Button-weed. P]. 1 foot. 
6 S. wepeca’rpa (D. C. prod. 4. p. 553.) stem herbaceous, 
tetragonal, nearly naked, downy ; the rest of the plant smooth- 
ish: leaves ovate, acute, tapering to the base, glabrous above, 
but downy on the nerves beneath while young ; bristles of sti- 
pulas many, rather shorter than the sheath, which is downy: 
heads of flowers verticillate, 1-2 axillary, and one terminal; the 
latter girded by 4 very unequal leaves: fruit downy, truncate at 
the apex.—Native of South America, about Caraccas, where 
it was collected by Vargas. Both the nuts of the fruit being 
dehiscent, it is therefore rather an ambiguous species. 
Var. B, angústior (D. C. prod. 4. p. 553.) leaves lanceolate, 
and are, as well as the stems, glabrous.— Native of St. Domingo, 
where it was collected by Bertero. 
Downy-fruited Button-weed. PI. 1 foot? 
7 S. pirru'sa (H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 3. p. 343.) 
stems suffruticose, procumbent, terete, hairy; leaves lanceolate, 
scabrous from retrograde hairs on both surfaces, with the margins 
serrately scabrous ; stipulas hairy, ciliated with bristles : whorles 
of flowers axillary, sessile, and one larger terminal; the latter 
girded by 4 leaves: capsule smoothish, globose, crowded by the 4 
teeth of the calyx, 2 of which are linear-subulate, and longer than 
the other 2. h.S. Native of South America, in the province of 
Varino, at the river Atures. Flowers white. Said to be allied to S. 
tenuior, and therefore it is probably a true species of Spermacdce. 
Diffuse Button-weed. Shrub procumbent. 
8 S. surrrure’scens (Jacq. 
schoenbr. t. 322.) stem suftru- 
tescent at the base, rather dif- 
fuse, branched, tetragonal, gla- 
brous; leaves ovate-lanceolate, 
acuminated, lined, with sca- 
brous margins; stipulas fur- 
nished with bristles : whorles of 
flowers dense, sessile, axillary, 
and terminal ; the latter girded 
by 4 leaves: lobes of corolla 
villous at the apex; genitals 
exserted ; stigma capitate; fruit 
turbinate, hispid, crowned by 
the 4-cleft calyx. h.S. Na- 
tive country unknown. S. suf- 
fruticdsa, Spreng. syst. 1. 
4xK2 
FIG, 108. 
