Herniaria hirsuta L.

Herniaria species are annual, biennial or perennial herbs, stem procumbent, prostrate or ascending, branched from the base, caespitose, angular or terete, sometimes woody at the base, pubescent, sub glabrous or glabrous, rootstock slender, stout. Leaves simple, opposite or sometimes alternate by reduction of 1 leaf, lanceolate-obovate, suborbiculate, elliptic, base slightly connate, margin entire, apex acute, pubescent, sub glabrous or rarely glabrous, 1 veined, stipules 2 per node, ovate, margins scarious, ciliate, apex acute, petiole subsessile to sessile. Inflorescence in leaf opposed, axillary or rarely terminal clustered sessile cymes or fascicles. Flowers bisexual, tetra or pentamerous, with erect or uncinate hairs throughout or subglabrous near hypanthium, pedicel sessile or subsessile, bracts paired, margins scarious, inconspicuous, sepals 5, rarely 4, subequal, pale green, lanceolate-oblong, margins herbaceous, apex subobtuse, petals 4-5 or absent, inconspicuous, shorter than sepals. Stamens 2-5, filaments filiform, distinct, anthers ovoid or squarish, staminodes 5, nectarines present. Ovary superior, ovoid-subglobose, unilocular, ovules 1, amphitropous, styles 2, filiform, very short or absent, stigmas 2, notched or bilobed or absent. Fruit achenes indehiscent, with membranous pericarp, partly enclosed by hypanthium, shorter than sepals. Seeds reniform or subglobose, laterally compressed, shining blackish brown, smooth, embryo curved, peripheral.

Herniaria species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary; rarely unisexual. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: April.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Annual herbs, stem procumbent or prostrate or ascending, grayish green, branched from the base, caespitose, terete, densely pubescent with stigose patent hairs, rootstock slender, stout. Leaves simple, opposite or sometimes alternate by reduction of 1 leaf distally, oblanceolate-oblong, about 4-15 x 1-3 mm across, base slightly connate, margin entire, ciliate, apex acute, strigose-pubescent, stipules 2 per node, ovate-triangular, ciliate, margins scarious, ciliate, apex acute, petiole subsessile to sessile. Inflorescence usually 3-8 flowered in leaf opposed, axillary or rarely terminal clustered sessile cymes. Flowers bisexual, pentamerous, whitish green, turbinate, with erect or uncinate hairs throughout, about 1-1.5 mm long, pedicel sessile or subsessile, bracts paired, margins scarious, inconspicuous, sepals 5, subequal, pale green, oblong-elliptic, margins herbaceous, apex with spinelike hairs, rest densely hirsute with rigid white spreading coiling hairs, about 1-1.5 mm long, petals inconspicuous. Stamens 2-3, filaments filiform, distinct, minute, anthers ovoid or squarish, staminodes 5, petaloid, about 0.5 mm long, nectarines present. Ovary superior, ovoid-subglobose, unilocular, papillose above, ovule 1, amphitropous, styles 2, filiform, very short, stigmas 2. Fruit achenes indehiscent, ovoid, about 0.6-0.9 mm long, with membranous pericarp, partly enclosed by hypanthium, almost equal to sepals. Seeds reniform or subglobose, laterally compressed, shining blackish brown.

Herniaria species are susceptible to various insect pests, viruses, root rots, powdery mildews and moulds.

Temperate Himalayas.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in folk medicine.