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Electronic Flora of South Australia family Fact Sheet

Caryophyllaceae

Alternative names: Not Applicable

Description:
Annual, biennial or perennial herbs; stems usually thickened at the nodes; leaves usually opposite or apparently whorled, or rarely the upper ones alternate, simple, entire, with or without scarious stipules, pairs of leaves usually united by a short sheath.

Flowers bisexual, regular; perianth usually composed of a calyx and a corolla, rarely single and sepaloid; calyx 4- or 5-lobed or divided to the base into 4 or 5 sepals, the sepals imbricate; petals 4 or 5, rarely 0, imbricate; stamens or the same number as the petals or twice as many, rarely fewer; ovary superior, 1-celled, with many campylotropous ovules inserted on funicles arising from the base of the ovary and free or consolidated into a central column; styles 2-5, free or united towards the base, usually stigmatic along the inner side.

Fruit a 1-celled usually membranous capsule, opening at the summit by teeth or valves or indehiscent; seeds 1-many, usually reniform or subglobular, often granular or tuberculate; embryo usually curved.

Distribution:  About 80 genera and 2,000 species, widespread but mainly in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere; rare in the tropics.

Biology: No text

Key to Genera:
1. Sepals fused for about half their length or more; stipules absent
 
2. Fruit membranous, dehiscent; seed 1
SCLERANTHUS 15.
2. Fruit a valved capsule; seeds several
 
3. Styles 2
 
4. Calyx without bracteoles at the base
 
5. Leaves oblong-lanceolate to ovate
VACCARIA 20.
5. Leaves linear
GYPSOPHILA 5.
4. Calyx with bracteoles at the base
PETRORHAGIA 11.
3. Styles 3 or 5
 
6. Styles 3; capsule 6-toothed
SILENE 16.
6. Styles 5; capsule 5-toothed
 
7. Calyx c. 6 cm long
AGROSTEMMA 1.
7. Calyx up to 2 cm long
LYCHNIS 7.
1. Sepals free or almost so; stipules present or absent
 
8. Stipules present
 
9. Fruit a membranous nutlet; seed 1
 
10. Annual; stipules half as long as the leaves
PARONYCHIA 10.
10. Perennial; stipules minute
HERNIARIA 6.
9. Fruit a valved capsule; seeds several
 
11. Leaves obovate to spathulate
POLYCARPON 13.
11. Leaves linear to linear-lanceolate
 
12. Styles 5, free; capsule 5-valved
SPERGULA 17.
12. Styles 3, free or fused; capsule 3-valved
 
13. Sepals white-silvery (very conspicuous)
POLYCARPAEA 12.
13. Sepals green, with scarious margins
SPERGULARIA 18.
8. Stipules absent
 
14. Capsule valves or teeth 3-5, same as the number of styles
 
15. Styles and capsule valves 5; leaves to 3 cm long, in basal tufts
COLOBANTHUS 4.
15. Styles and capsule valves 3 or 4; leaves to 12 mm long, cauline
 
16. Styles and capsule valves 3
MINUARTIA 8.
16. Styles and capsule valves 4
SAGINA 14.
14. Capsule valves 6-10, more than (usually twice as many as) the styles
 
17. Styles 3; capsule valves 6
 
18. Petals entire
ARENARIA 2.
18. Petals 3-fid or 0
STELLARIA 19.
17. Styles 4 or 5; capsule teeth or valves 8 or 10
 
19. Glabrous; styles 4; capsule teeth 8
MOENCHIA 9.
19. Hairy; styles 5; capsule valves 10
CERASTIUM 3.

Author: Prepared by K. Chorney


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