台西地锦 tai xi di jin

Chamaesyce taihsiensis Chaw & Koutnik, Bot. Bull. Acad. Sin., n.s., 31: 163. 1990.

Herbs, perennial. Stems prostrate; internodes conspicuous, glabrous. Leaves opposite; stipules triangular, 0.3-0.5 mm, ciliate at tip, connate at base; petiole 0.2-1 mm, glabrous; leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 2.5-6 × 1.5-3.5 mm, glabrous on both surfaces, base rounded, margin entire or serrulate, apex truncate or emarginate. Cyathia single, axillary; involucre campanulate, 0.8-1 × 0.6-1.1 mm, glabrous; glands 4, green to red, elliptic to oblong, 0.2-0.3 × ca. 0.1 mm, appendages elliptic, entire or sparsely repand. Male flowers 3-10, usually exserted. Female flower exserted from involucre; ovary glabrous; styles free; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule 1.3-1.7 × 1.2-1.7 mm, smooth, glabrous; fruiting pedicel to 2.4 mm. Seeds ovoid-tetragonal, 0.8-1.2 × 0.6-0.9 mm, gray or light brown, smooth or slightly transversely furrowed; caruncle absent. Fl. and fr. May-Aug.

● Coastal, on coral islands. W Taiwan (Penghu Liedao, Taixi).