Common name: Litmus Plant, Turnsole
Chrozophora tinctoria (L.) Juss. APNI* 
Description: Grey-green annual to c. 50 cm high, ± branched, stellate-hairy.
Leaves with lamina ovate to rhombic, 2–5 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, apex ± obtuse, margins entire or toothed, with 2 raised glands at base; petiole 1–7 cm long; stipules filiform 1–2 mm long.
Male flowers numerous, calyx and petals c. 4 mm long. Female flowers 1–4 on peduncles 5–15 mm long, calyx persistent in fruit.
Capsule 3-lobed, 7–8 mm long, tuberculate, ± covered with peltate scales; seeds c. 4 mm long, rough.
Flowering: early summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Used to produce a dye. Weed of cultivation, not common. Native of Medit.
NSW subdivisions: *SWP
Other Australian states: *Vic. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by T. A. James & G. J. Harden
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
|
