Common Woodruff

Common Woodruff photos

Family: Coprosma (Rubiaceae)

Scientific Name:

Asperula conferta

Status:

Native to eastern Australia.

Population of Common Woodruff
Photo: A J Brown

Plant Description:

Erect to decumbent, sparsely hairy, perennial herb to 30 cm high, which may become woody at the base. Stems are up to 30 cm long and usually much branched. Leaves and stipules are in whorls of 5-6, narrow-linear to narrow-oblong in shape and 1.5-16 mm long and 0.3-1.5 mm wide, with an acute apex and usually with a short point.

Flowers are white, 2-3 mm long and tubed with 4 deep lobes. Fruit 3-4 mm long.

Habitat:

Common and widespread plant of woodland, forest and grassland. Also occurs on damp flats and along water courses. Usually indicative of freshwater environments but may grow on the fringes of salt lakes and swamps during the wetter months of the year.

Region	Salinity Class	Waterlogging Class
Central and Northern, Wimmera, Western, Gippsland	S0, S1, S2	W0, W1, W2

*may be found on or fringing saline sites during the wetter parts of the year

Comments:

There are 13 species of Woodruff recorded for Victoria, many being very similar to each other.

Common Woodruff photos

Plants of Common Woodruff Photo: A J Brown	Leaves and flowers of Common Woodruff Photo: A J Brown
Flowers of Common Woodruff Photo: A J Brown

Page top