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Indian-strawberry

Also known as: Indian mock-strawberry

Duchesnea indica (Andr.) Focke

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Indian-strawberry
Indian-strawberry
Indian-strawberry
Indian-strawberry

Morphology

Stem
Simple or branched, 0.3 to 30 inches, pubescent to sparsely lanate, without prickles.
Leaves
Basal or cauline, alternate, 3-foliolate; stipules leaf-like; petiole .8 to 10 inches; blade cordate in outline, .4 to 2.75 inches; leaflets obovate or elliptic, .7 to 2.3 inches, margins doubly serrate to crenate, surfaces sparsely strigose below, glabrous or pilose above.
Inflorescence
Axillary at stolon nodes, flowers solitary; peduncle 1.2 to 4.7 inches.
Flower
Hypanthium cup-shaped; sepals 5, spreading, ovate to lanceolate, .12 to .4 inch, subtended by 5 obovate bractlets, 3-5-toothed apically; petals 5, yellow, cuneate-oblong, .12 to .3 inch; stamens 20-30; receptacle turbinate to hemispheric; pistils 50-100, distinct, free.
Fruit
Accessory, receptacle red, accrescent, fleshy, ovoid to globose, .4 to .8 inch, bearing numerous superficial achenes. Achenes red, ovoid, .04 to .06 inch, smooth.

Ecology

Habitat
Lawns, parks, cemeteries, moist places with sparse vegetation.
Distribution
Scattered in eastern Kansas

Additional Notes

Comments

The fruits resemble smaller versions of our wild strawberries, but they are not juicy and lack flavor.

Quick Facts
Plant Type
Wildflower
Family
Rosaceae - Rose Family
Life Span
Perennial
Height
Prostrate to spreading
Origin
Introduced
Last Updated
2014-01-11
Color Groups
Yellow Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Blooms: May, June, July, August, September