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Spearleaf (Matelea parvifolia)

Description

Matelea parvifolia is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family known by the common names spearleaf . It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in and on the edges of deserts. It is a perennial herb with a branching, twining green stem lined sparsely with heart-shaped leaves no more than 2 centimeters long. The flowers appear in the leaf axils. They are purplish or brownish green in color with a nub at each inner corner of the corolla lobes. The fruit is a long follicle which may be up to 7 centimeters long.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum: Magnoliophyta

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Gentianales

            • Family: Apocynaceae

              • Genus: Matelea