Richardia scabra, commonly called rough Mexican clover or Florida pusley, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is widespread, native to warm areas of both North America, South America and East African countries like in Central Kenya .
Description The stems of R. scabra may reach a height between 1 and 7 decimeters (4 to 27.5 inches). The leaves are oppositely arranged, and lanceolate to elliptic in shape. They range in size from 2.5 to 7 centimeters (1 to 2.75 inches) in length.Radford et al 1964">Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. 1964, 1968. The University of North Carolina Press. 981. Print. Individuals produce white flowers, inflorescence beginning as early as March and may last through December.Nelson, G. PanFlora: Plant data for the eastern United States with emphasis on the Southeastern Coastal Plains, Florida, and the Florida Panhandle. www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ Accessed: 13 DEC 2016 The fruit produced by R. scabra is leathery in texture and is 3 to 4 millimeters in length.
Habitat In the southeastern United States, this species is often found in disturbed habitats, with individuals observed in habitats such as along roadsides and within vacant lots.Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: July 2015. Collectors: : R. Komarek, Robert K. Godfrey, Andre F. Clewell, R. A. Norris, Loran C. Anderson, Edwin L. Tyson, D. E. Breedlove, Peter H. Raven, K E Blum, J. Dwyer, H. Loftin, Edwin L. Tyson, C. Kupfer, H. Smith, G. Martinez Calderon. States and Counties: Florida: Leon, Lafayette, Liberty. Georgia: Baker, Thomas. Country: Panama, Mexico.
Within the United States' Coastal Plain region, R. scabra occurs within environments that possess fine sandy loams with slow permeability.Lewis, C. E. and T. J. Harshbarger. 1976. "Shrub and herbaceous vegetation after 20 years of prescribed burning in the South Carolina coastal plain". Journal of Range Management 29:13-18. Individuals have been documented in habitats such as upland pine communities and woodlands.
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