Weed Information: Dichondra carolinensis (dichondra, Carolina)
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Dichondra carolinensis (dichondra, Carolina)

Family: Convolvulaceae

Description

Low spreading plants often used as groundcovers in the southeastern U.S.

Characteristics

Flower Color
  • White
Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)
  • Axillary cluster
  • Solitary, axillary
Number of Petals
  • 5 petals
Petal Separation
  • United at base only (<25% length)
  • United from 25% - 75% length
Petal Tip
  • Rounded
Flower Symmetry
  • Flowers regular
Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
  • 5 mm (.20 inch)
Number of Sepals
  • 5 sepals
Sepal Separation
  • United at base < 25% length
Sepal Tip
  • Rounded
Flower Sex
  • Bisexual (perfect)
Number of Styles
  • 2 styles
Number of Stamens
  • 5 stamens
Stamens Attached to the Petals
  • Stamens attached to the petals
Stamens Connate (united)
  • Filaments or anthers NOT united

Carpel Separation
  • Carpels united (or one)
  • Carpels separated
Number of Carpels
  • 2 carpels
Ovary Position
  • Superior (hypogynous)
Fruit Type
  • Capsule, 1-celled
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
  • 5 mm (.20 inch)
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement
  • Alternate
Leaf Type
  • Simple (including lobed leaves)
Stipules
  • Lacking
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Venation
  • Palmate
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole 25% - 75% total length
  • Petiole > 75% total length
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.60 inches)
  • 4 - 10 cm (1.60 - 4.0 inches)
Leaf Width
  • 1 - 2 cm (.40 - .80 inch)
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.6 inches)
Leaf Shape (simple leaves only)
  • Orbicular (round)
  • Reniform (kidney)
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Entire
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Cordate
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Rounded (obtuse)
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Pubescent
  • Sparsely hairy
Succulence
  • Not succulent

Milky Juice
  • Juice NOT milky (watery)
  • Juice milky
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Not aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Perennial
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Prostrate
  • Spreading ascending
Plant Height at Maturity
  • 1 - 5 cm (.40 - 2.0 inches)
  • 5 - 10 cm (2.0 - 4.0 inches)
  • 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
Wind Dissemination
  • Not wind disseminated
Moisture Regime
  • Seasonally saturated
  • Mesic
Chlorophyll
  • Present

Stem Cross Section
  • Round
Flowering Stem Leaves
  • Stem uniformly leafy
Main Stem Branches
  • Main stem unbranched
  • Main stem branched

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Fibrous
  • Rooting at the nodes

US State
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Louisiana
  • Missouri
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Maryland
  • Oklahoma

  • Identifying Seedling and Mature Weeds (Southeastern US) 1980 North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Bulletin #461 See page: 96
  • Weeds of Arkansas 1981 (MP 169-5M-3-81) See page: 20
  • Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses, 1992 Univ. of Florida, Gainesville Publication # SP-79, See page: 114
  • Weeds of the South, University of Georgia 2009, ISBN#0-8203-3046-9 See page: 164
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 X
  • Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds X
  • Dieteria canescens var. canescens / Asteraceae / aster, hoary
  • Weeds of the West, 1992 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 158
  • Weeds of the West, 2000 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 158
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 x
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