FoI
Hairy Joyweed
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Hairy Joyweed
P Native Photo: Palak Thakor
Common name: Hairy Joyweed
Botanical name: Alternanthera kanhae    Family: Amaranthaceae (Amaranth family)

Hairy Joyweed is a newly discovered (2021) perennial, prostrate herb, greenish-white. The species is named after a name of lord Krishna, Kanha. Stem is 1-2 mm in diameter, much branched, green-pinkish red at maturity, densely hairy at tip and nodes. Leaves are 9-15 x 3-4 mm, spoon-shaped, tip pointed, margins entire, base narrowed; light-dark green, densely hairy on both surfaces. Flowers are borne in stalkless,axils, globular or slightly ovoid clusters in leaf-axils, 6-7 x 4-5 mm across, with 16-24 flowers. Flowers are stalkless, 2-4 x 1-3 mm. Bract is single 1-2 x 0.4-0.7 mm, shortly tapering, creamy white, hairless, membranous; bracteoles 2, 0.7-0.9 x 0.1-0.3 mm, membranous. Tepals are 2-3 x 0.7-0.9 mm, ovate, tip shortly tapering, creamy, hairless, membranous. Stamens are 5, anthers 0.12-0.14 x 0.16-0.18 mm, yellow; filament 0.6-0.8 x 0.03-0.05 mm, staminodes 5, shorter than filaments. Hairy Joyweed has only been seen in Gujarat.

Identification credit: Palak Thakor Photographed in Sabarmati estuary, Gujarat

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