Spermacoce verticillata

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bigelovia verticillata
• Borreria verticillata
• Tardavel podocephala
• Borreria podocephala var. pumila
• Borreria minima
• Borreria verticillata var. brevifolia
• Borreria suaveolens f. rigidior
• Borreria podocephala
• Borreria oligodonta
• Borreria oaxacana
• Borreria laevigata
• Borreria kohautiana
• Borreria molleri
• Borreria globularioides
• Borreria graminifolia
• Spermacoce stellata
• Spermacoce reclinata
• Spermacoce minima
• Spermacoce mucronata
• Spermacoce molleri
• Spermacoce podocephala
• Spermacoce polycephala
• Spermacoce pygmaea
• Spermacoce oligodonta
• Spermacoce oaxacana
• Spermacoce graminifolia
• Tardavel verticillata
• Borreria verticillata var. caesia
• Borreria verticillata var. thymiformis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is categorized under the order Gentianaales and the family Rubiaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Spermacoce.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution spanning across the Macaronesian islands and West Tropical Africa. Within the Macaronesian region, it can be found growing in the Canary Islands and Cape Verde. Its range extends into West Tropical Africa, where it is documented in Benin and Burkina. Additionally, the species is present in the Gambia, further establishing its foothold in the western part of the continent. Consequently, the distribution of Spermacoce verticillata reflects a wide ecological presence across these distinct maritime and terrestrial zones.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Spermacoce verticillata is characterized by its extensive altitudinal adaptability, spanning a broad elevational range from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum of 3100 m AMSL. This wide distribution suggests a high degree of physiological plasticity, allowing the species to inhabit diverse climatic zones ranging from lowland tropical or subtropical environments to high-altitude montane ecosystems. While specific habitat classifications remain partially undocumented (?), its ability to persist across such a vast vertical gradient implies an ecological versatility capable of navigating varying temperature regimes, atmospheric pressures, and moisture availability found across these diverse altitudinal strata.

Elevational range max:

3100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

(?)

Life history

The life history of Spermacoce verticillata is characterized by its classification as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle in a single year. In terms of its structural growth and ecological positioning, the plant is defined as a chamaephyte, a life form where the permanent buds are located close to the soil surface, often protected by leaf litter or minimal ground cover. This chamamephyte growth strategy enables the species to navigate its specific environmental niche by maintaining low-lying, resilient vegetative structures that facilitate long-term survival and seasonal regeneration.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Spermacoce verticillata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and subshrub. The plant typically exhibits a self-supporting habit rather than acting as a climber or liana, and it functions as an independent organism without parasitic tendencies. In terms of its habitat and ecological niche, it is a terrestrial species, lacking epiphytic or aquatic characteristics. The plant's stature is relatively low, with a height that ranges from a minimum of approximately 0.30 m to a maximum of about 0.61 m, maintaining an average height of 0.8 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

subshrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.609607413 m

Plant height mean:

0.8 m

Plant height min:

0.304803706 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Spermacoce verticillata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide through the Calvin cycle without the specialized carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM plants. This metabolic process relies on the enzyme RuBisCO to catalyze the initial carboxylation step, making the plant's carbon assimilation efficiency highly dependent on environmental conditions such as light intensity and moisture availability. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and instead must rely on the uptake of nitrates or ammonium from the surrounding soil to meet its nutritional requirements for protein and nucleic acid synthesis.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

Reproduction in Spermacoce verticillata is characterized by the production of highly specialized seeds that exhibit significant variation in physical dimensions. The reproductive output is defined by a precise range of seed masses, with a calculated mean seed mass of 0.00054 g. Within the population, individual seed sizes fluctuate, reaching a minimum recorded mass of 0.00016 g and a maximum mass of 0.00092 g. This variability in seed mass suggests a diverse dispersal or developmental strategy essential for the plant's life cycle and successful establishment in its habitat.

Seed mass max:

0.00092 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00054 g

Seed mass min:

0.00016 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Spermacoce verticillata has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 6-Methoxyeugenin, Austdiol, Borreverine, ER, Eugenitin.

6-Methoxyeugenin

1. Journal of natural products

Austdiol

1. Journal of natural products

Borreverine

1. Comptes rendus des seances de la Societe de biologie et de ses filiales

ER

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Eugenitin

1. Journal of natural products

Flavonoids

1. Heliyon

Iridoids

1. Heliyon

TR

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Terpenes

1. Heliyon

Preparations

Spermacoce verticillata has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include crude extracts.

Crude extracts

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)