PHYLA

Phyla Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 66. 1790; Gaur, Fl. Dist. Garhwal 453. 1999; Greene, Pittonia 4: 48. 1899; Moldenke, Ann. Miss. Bot. Gard. 60: 59. 1973; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 17: 3; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 10.

Procumbent or prostrate, perennial herbs; branches usually actually 4-angled, spiny, hirsute-glandular, mostly with medifixed pubescence. Leaves opposite decussate, coriaceous, serrate. Inflorescence terminal, of short ovoid to oblong, cylindrical, congestedly-flowered spicate heads, elongating in fruits. Flowers small, sessile, bisexual, zygomorphic, hypogynous; bracts short, obovate. Calyx ovoid-campanulate, membranous, 2-4 lobed or dentate, persistent. Corolla +/- salverform, tube straight to curved, slightly exceeding the calyx; limb 4-5 lobed, obliquely +/- 2-lipped, upper lip entire to 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed, lobes spreading. Stamens 4, didynamous, included or slightly exserted, inserted on distal part of corolla tube. Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary 2-locular, with 1 ovule in each loculus, style short with oblique stigma. Fruit a small, dry, schizocarpic capsule enclosed by or sometimes adnate to calyx, separating into two 1-seeded pyrenes at maturity.

5 species

Phyla nodiflora

Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene, Pittonia. 4: 46. 1899; Meikle in Hutch. & Dalz, Fl. W. Trop. Afr. ed. 2.2: 435. 1963; Moldenke, Ann. Miss. Bot. Gard. 60: 59. 1973; Meeuse, Blumea 5: 69. 1942; Nair, Fl. Bashahr Himal. 215. 1977; Sharma & Kachroo, Fl. Jammu (Illustr.) 2: t. 215. 1983; Dhaliwal & Sharma, Fl. Kullu Dist. 506. 1999; Kaur & Sharma, Fl. Sirmaur 500. 2004; Singh & Sharma, Fl. Chamba Dist. 545. 2006; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 17: 3; Hyatt, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p11; Verbena nodiflora L., Sp. Pl. 1: 20. 1753; Lippia nodiflora (L.) Michx., Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 15. 1803; Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 4: 563. 1885; Collett, Fl. Siml. ed. 2: 379. 1921 (Reprint 1980).

Perennial prostrate herb. Stem quadrangular, much-branched often forming wide patches especially in wet areas, appressed-pubescent with medifixed hairs. Leaves opposite; petiole 1-6 mm long; leaf blade 0.5-4 cm x 0.4-2 cm, obovate, spathulate to oblanceolate, somewhat fleshy, base cuneate, apex obtuse or rounded, margin serrate above, entire below, glabrous to appressed-pubescent; lateral veins inconspicuously 3-4-paired. Flowers 2.5-3 mm long, white or pinkish, bisexual, zygomorphic, hypogynous, crowded in dense, solitary axillary, ovoid-globose to oblong, 1-4.5 cm long, 6-8 mm broad, bracteate spikes heads. Peduncle 1-7 cm long, appressed- pubescent to glabrous; bracts broadly elliptic or obovate, ca. 3 mm long, imbricate, acute or acuminate, mucronate. Calyx ca. 1.6 mm long, flattened, shorter than bracts, hyaline-membranous, deeply incised with lanceolate lobes, segments acute, pubescent. Corolla pinkish-purple or white with dark purple centre, glabrous, slightly exceeding the bracts; tube cylindric; limb obscurely 2-lipped: upper lip erect, 2-lobed, lower lip longer, 3-lobed, the central lobe largest, lobes spreading. Stamens 4, didynamous, included, inserted on distal part of corolla tube. Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary 2-locular, with 1 ovule in each loculus; style short, 0.5 mm long; stigma oblique, capitate. Fruit a small, ca. 1.5 mm long, dry, subglobose, shining brown, schizocarpic capsule, separating into two 1-seeded pyrenes on maturity.

Flowering and Fruiting: April to June
Common Names: Frog Fruit, Sawtooth Fogfruit, Turkey Tangle, Creeping Lip Plant; Jalbuti, Ratoliya, Bukkan (Hindi)