Polycarpaea spicata

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

|image =

|status = LC

|status_system = IUCN3.1

|status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Miller, A. |date=2004 |title=Polycarpaea spicata |volume=2004 |page=e.T44827A10951866 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T44827A10951866.en |access-date=15 November 2021}}

|genus = Polycarpaea

|species = spicata

|authority = Wight ex Arn.

}}

Polycarpaea spicata is a species of plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Distribution; Northwest of India, Arabia, Egypt, and Northern Australia.

Annual herb, with woody taproot. Stems 5–10 cm, erect to ascending, slender, many, arising from the base, purplish-brown, glabrous. Leaves 5-15 x 3-5 somewhat thick, obovate to spathulate, basal leaves forming a rosette, cauline apparently whorled at the nodes, at the point of branching. Stipules lanceolate, lacerate, acuminate. Flowers sessile in dense, terminal spikes with long peduncles. Sepals 2.5–3 mm, lanceolate, with a brown midrib at the back. Petals small, oblong. Capsule included, about ½ the length of the sepals. Seeds small, subtrigonous, and shining.