Polycarpon tetraphyllum (L.) L.   Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family)   Europe   Four-Leaved Polycarp

                                           March Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Low much-branched annual, glabrous, diffuse or prostrate, the stems 4-10 cm. long; lvs. oblong to obovate, 5-10 mm. long, short-petioled, often appearing to be in fours; cymes leafless, many-fld.; stipules and bracts lance-acuminate; sepals obovate or oblong, strongly keeled, almost 2 mm. long, awn 0.3-0.7 mm. long, widely triangular; petals thin, oblanceolate; caps. ovoid, almost as long as calyx; seeds somewhat angled, almost transparent, ca. 0.5-0.8 mm. long.

Habitat:  Occasional in beaten soil of paths and along roads, in shaded waste places, etc., cismontane.  May-July.

Name:  Greek, polus, many, and karpos, fr., because of the many caps.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 340).  Greek, tetra, four and Greek, phyllon, leaf.  (Jaeger 260,196).

General:  Uncommon in the study area, but occasional to moderately common in the 23rd St. area.     Photographed at 23rd Street.  (my comments).      About 6 species of wide distribution.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 340).

Text Ref:  Abrams, Vol. II 158.; Hickman, Ed. 486; Munz, Calif Flora. 285; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 341; Roberts 18.

Photo Ref:  April-May 86 # 17, Mar 03 # 23,24..

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.  

First Found:  May 1986.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 330.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 3/1/05. 

                                  March Photo                                                                                May Photo