Woodland false buttonweed facts for kids

The woodland false buttonweed (scientific name: Spermacoce remota) is a cool plant from the Rubiaceae family. It's found in many warm places around the world, like the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Mexico and South America. It has also spread to places like Taiwan, India, and even Hawaii!

Quick facts for kids Woodland false buttonweed
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Rubiaceae
Subfamily:	Rubioideae
Tribe:	Spermacoceae
Genus:	Spermacoce
Species:	S. remota
Binomial name
Spermacoce remota Lam.
Synonyms
Borreria remota (Lam.) Bacigalupo & E.L.Cabral Spermacoce parviflora Salisb. Spermacoce assurgens Ruiz & Pav. Spermacoce suffrutescens Jacq. Spermacoce vaginata Willd. in J.J.Roemer & J.A.Schultes Spermacoce echioides Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth Spermacoce lanceolata Link Bigelovia vaginata (Willd.) Spreng. Borreria wydleriana DC. Spermacoce hebecarpa DC. Spermacoce tetragona DC. Spermacoce chapmanii Torr. & A.Gray Spermacoce dichotoma Willd. ex Steud. Spermacoce sexangularis Sieber ex Steud. Tessiera pubescens Miq. Tessiera miquelonana Lévèq. Borreria assurgens (Ruiz & Pav.) Griseb. Spermacoce wydleriana (DC.) Kuntze Borreria malacophylla Standl. & L.O.Williams Spermacoce tenuior var. commersonii Verdc. Spermacoce hondurensis Govaerts

About the Woodland False Buttonweed

This plant is known by its scientific name, Spermacoce remota. It's a type of plant that can live for many years, called a perennial. It can grow as a small herb or a slightly woody plant, reaching up to about 70 centimeters (about 2.3 feet) tall.

Where It Grows

The woodland false buttonweed is originally from the southeastern United States. This includes states like Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. It also comes from the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Over time, this plant has spread to many other parts of the world. You can now find it growing naturally in places like Taiwan, Southeast Asia (such as Thailand and Vietnam), China, India, Sri Lanka, New Guinea, and Mauritius. It has even reached far-off islands like Hawaii and the Galápagos.

What It Looks Like

The stems of the woodland false buttonweed can be either round or have a square shape. Its leaves are long and narrow, like the tip of a spear. They can grow up to 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long.

The flowers of this plant are small and white. They grow together in a cluster at the very top of the stem.

Plant and Butterfly Friends

This plant is important for some butterflies. It's a common spot where butterflies, like the Anartia fatima, lay their eggs. This process is called oviposition. The plant provides a safe place for the butterfly eggs to start their life cycle.