Polypremum procumbens

Polypremum procumbens
Photo taken by Gil Nelson
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order:	Scrophulariales
Family:	Buddlejaceae
Genus:	Polypremum
Species:	P. procumbens
Binomial name
Polypremum procumbens L.
Natural range of Polypremum procumbens from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: juniper leaf

Description

"Perennial, glabrous herb with radially ascending or repent branches from a central crown. Leaves opposite, linear, 1-2.5 cm long, 0.5-2 mm wide, acute. Inflorescence a terminal leafy cyme. Flowers actinomorphic, sessile or on pedicels less than 0.5 mm long. Calyx divided to near the base, teeth 4, subulate, 2-3 mm long; corolla divided 1/3 in length, 4-lobed, white, rotate; stamens 4, included. Capsule 1.5-2.5 mm long; seeds yellow, angulate, more or less square, microscopically pitted, 0.3-0.4 mm long." - Radford et al 1964

Ecology

Habitat

In the Coastal Plain in Florida and Georgia, P. procumbens can be found near streamlet crossings in open woodlands, well drained sandy soils of citrus furrows, annually burned savannas, sandy shores of karst ponds, annually burned longleaf pinelands, well drained uplands, and coastal dunes (FSU Herbarium). It can also be found in compacted soils of roadways, frequently mowed lawns, and roadside depressions. Associated species include Lindernia, Murdannia, Kyllinga and Sida (FSU Herbarium).

Soil types include loamy sand and moist loam (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

Flowering and fruiting have been observed in July (FSU Herbarium).

Seed dispersal

According to Kay Kirkman, a plant ecologist, this species disperses by gravity.

Pollination

The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Polypremum procumbens at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):

Halictidae: Lasioglossum nymphalis

Megachilidae: Megachile brevis pseudobrevis

Sphecidae: Cerceris blakei, Microbembex monodonta

Vespidae: Stenodynerus fundatiformis

Use by animals

Deyrup observed this bee, Dialictus nymphalis, on P. procumbens (Deyrup et al 2002). Cover of P. procumbens decreased significantly through time after three grazing treatments (no grazing by deer or cattle, grazing by deer, or grazing by deer and cattle) in thinned and clearcut forested areas (Brockway and Lewis 2003).

References and notes

Brockway, D. G. and C. E. Lewis (2003). "Influence of deer, cattle grazing and timber harvest on plant species diversity in a longleaf pine bluestem ecosystem." Forest Ecology and Management 175: 49-69.

Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.

Deyrup, M. J. E., and Beth Norden (2002). "The diversity and floral hosts of bees at the Archbold Biological Station, Florida (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)." Insecta mundi 16(1-3).

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: July 2015. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Cecil R Slaughter, Dianne Hall, R. A. Norris, R. Komarek, R. F. Doren, S. W. Leonard, J. Mickel, Thomas E. Miller, Robert K. Godfrey. States and Counties: Florida: Duval, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Polk, St. Johns, Wakulla. Georgia: Grady, Thomas. Mexico. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.

Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. 1964, 1968. The University of North Carolina Press. 835. Print.