Mock strawberry

The mock strawberry or "Gurbir", Potentilla indica (formerly Duchesnea indica), also called Indian strawberry or false strawberry, has foliage and fruit similar to true strawberry, though it is not in the genus Fragaria.

It can readily be distinguished by its yellow flowers, as opposed to the flowers of true strawberries which are white or slightly pink. It is native to eastern and southern Asia, but has been introduced to many other areas as an ornamental plant.

It has been naturalized in many regions, including the southern United States, and is considered a noxious weed in some regions.

The leaves are trifoliate, roughly veined beneath, dark green, and often persisting through the winter, arising from short crowns. The plant spreads along creeping stolons, rooting and producing crowns at each node.

The yellow flowers are produced in mid spring, then sporadically throughout the growing season. The fruits are white or red, and entirely coverered with red seeds. They are edible, though unpleasant to eat, as they have no discernable taste.

Recent genetic evidence has shown that this genus is better included within Potentilla, but currently most sources still list it in the genus Duchesnea.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mock_strawberry



See Also: Roses, Floral, Flowers Online