Duchesnea Smith
(D.R.G., C.J.W.)
Short-stemmed, perennial, mat-forming herbs, with long, ± leafy runners rooting at nodes, not armed. Lvs in basal rosettes, in clusters (sometimes singly) scattered along runners and cauline, long-petiolate, pinnately 3-foliolate, dentate or crenate; stipules adnate below, conspicuous, persistent. Fls solitary, ⚥, small- to medium-sized, borne on long, slender scapes arising from basal rosettes or in axils of runner lvs. Hypanthium with a central convex, somewhat spongy receptacle (carpophore). Epicalyx segments leafy and toothed. Calyx usually with 5, ± triangular, toothed sepals about = epicalyx segments. Petals 5, ± obovate, yellow. Stamens 20-30. Ovary superior; carpels numerous; styles numerous, surrounded by hypanthium rim; ovules 1 per carpel. Fr. a head of many achenes on surface of dryish, semi-fleshy, coloured receptacle, the styles deciduous at fruiting.
6 spp., India, E. Asia. Naturalised sp. 1.
Duchesnea closely resembles Fragaria but differs most obviously in having yellow rather than white petals, epicalyx segments wider and more coarsely toothed and in the drier, almost inedible frs.
