Mollugo verticillata

Mollugo verticillata

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Molluginaceae
Genus: Mollugo
Species:
M. verticillata
Binomial name
Mollugo verticillata
Synonyms
List
    • Mollugo arenaria Kunth
    • Mollugo axillaris Schltdl. ex Rohrb.
    • Mollugo berteroana Ser.
    • Mollugo chevalieri Hutch. & Dalziel
    • Mollugo costata Y.T.Chang & Wei
    • Mollugo dichotoma Schrank
    • Mollugo diffusa Willd. ex Steud.
    • Mollugo hoffmannseggiana Ser.
    • Mollugo juncea Fenzl
    • Mollugo schrankii Ser.
    • Mollugo spergulifolia Willd. ex Steud.
    • Mollugo verticillata var. latifolia Fenzl
    • Mollugo verticillata lusus linearis (Fenzl) Rohrb.
    • Mollugo verticillata var. linearis Fenzl
    • Mollugo verticillata var. longifolia Cambess.
    • Mollugo verticillata var. scrobiculata Cambess.
    • Mollugo verticillata subsp. subsessile Beauverd & Felipp.
    • Mollugo verticillata var. vulgaris Cambess.
    • Pharnaceum arenarium (Kunth) Spreng.
    • Pharnaceum berteroanum Spreng.
    • Pharnaceum galioides Willd. ex Schult.
    • Pharnaceum hoffmannseggianum Schult.
    • Pharnaceum lineare Bertero ex Rohrb.
    • Pharnaceum verticillatum (L.) Spreng.

Mollugo verticillata, the green carpetweed (also known as Indian chickweed), is a rapidly spreading annual plant from tropical America. In eastern North America, it is a common weed growing in disturbed areas. It forms a prostrate circular mat that can quickly climb over nearby plants and obstacles. The species has been reported from every state in the United States except Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah, as well as from British Columbia, Manitoba. Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Although considered an invasive weed, M. verticillata is also known to be edible. Archaeological evidence has shown that M. verticillata has been in North America for about 3000 years. Sometimes also referred to as "Indian chickweed", in China this plant is referred to as zhong leng su mi cao.