Boerhavia intermedia, Fivewing Spiderling
Common Name: Fivewing Spiderling
Also Called: Five-wing Spiderling, Jone's Boerhavia, Spiderling; (Spanish: Mochis)
Family: Nyctaginaceae, Four O’clock Family
Synonyms: (Boerhavia erecta var. intermedia, Boerhavia universitatis)
Status: Native
Duration: Annual.
Size: Up to 18 inches more or less.
Growth Form: Forb/herb; stems ascending or erect, few or multiple branches, sparse fine hairs.
Leaves: Green; bottom of leaf pale (see photo above), mostly basal, ovate to broadly lanceolate, distal leaves proportionately narrower.
Flower Color: White, pale pink or purplish; flowers-like perianths, inflorescence an umbel, terminal clusters, flowering stems have sticky (viscid) bands, fruits 1 to 15 per cluster.
Flowering Season: July to October.
Elevation: 1,000 to 5,000 feet.
Habitat Preferences: Sandy, gravelly areas and washes, arid grasslands and disturbed areas.
Recorded Range: Fivewing Spiderling is found in the southwestern parts of the United States in; AZ, CA, NM, NV, TX. In Arizona it is found in the northwest, central and southeast parts of the state. It is also native to Baja California and Mexico and widespread in tropical America. Boerhavia intermedia primarily a Sonoran and Mojave deserts species.
North America & US County Distribution Map for Boerhavia intermedia.
U.S. Weed Information: No information available.
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: No information available.
Wetland Indicator: No information available.
Threatened/Endangered Information: No information available.
The Plant List includes 243 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus Boerhavia. Of these 105 are accepted species names.
Comments: Fivewing Spiderling is often visited by many insects including the Passionvine Mealybug, Planococcus minor. The type species of Boerhavia thornberi (= intermedia) is from Tucson, Arizona.
Also see in Southwest Desert Flora Scarlet Spiderling, Boerhavia coccinea, Coulter's Spiderling, Boerhavia coulteri, Climbing Wartclub, Boerhavia scandens and Largebract Spiderling, Boerhavia wrightii.