Mexican-Clover

Richardia grandiflora

reh-CHARD-ee-ah grand-af-FLOOR-ah

Rubiaceae

Native to:  South America

Florida abundance and distribution: Very abundant (sometimes forming carpet) in low, mowed disturbed sites such as road median strips

Recognition: Sprawling mat-forming fuzzy plants with opposite leaves, having a fringed stipule between the leaf bases.  Flowers pink to near-white.

Potentially confused species:   There are two other species of Richardia in South Florida.   The other two have smaller (to 10 mm as opposed to > 12 mm long), white to pale lilac flowers.  Richardia brasiliensis has fruit segments with short hairs on the surface and the inner corner broad.  Its leaves are covered uniformly on the top surface with hairs.  Richardia scabra has fruit segments with bumps on the surface a narrow inner corner.  It leaves are hairy toward the upper surfaces are bare or less hairy toward the middles.  The name “Florida Pusley” is sometimes applied to these species,  especially R. scabra, but the species are tough to distinguish and the name is applied inconsistently.

Other:   Mexican Clover is one of the most abundant mowed-area weeds in Florida, forming carpets of pink-lilac flowers. These are not true “clovers,” but instead are members of the Coffee Family.

Contributed by: George Rogers