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Electronic Flora of South Australia genus Fact Sheet

Family: Aizoaceae
Gunniopsis

Citation: Pax, Natürl. Pflanzenfam. 3:44 (1889).

Derivation: From the genus Gunnia named after the Tasmanian botanist R. C. Gunn, 1808-1881; Greek opsis, resembling.

Synonymy: Neogunnia Pax & K. Hoffm., Natürl.. Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 16c:225 (1934); Gunnia F. Muell., Rep. Babbage Exped. 1858 9 (1859); Aizoon L., Sp. Pl. 488 (1753) subgen. Gunniopsis (Pax) Pax & K. Hoffm., Natürl. Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 16c:223 (1934).

Common name: None

Description:
Small annual or perennial shrubs or herbs, glabrous or with a scaly-papillose tomentum, branching dichotomously and with opposite more or less fleshy exstipulate leaves.

Flowers solitary or cymose, sessile or Pedicellate; perianth deeply divided into 4 lobes, valvate in bud; stamens 4 to numerous, often in 4 bundles, alternate with the perianth lobes, often rising from a disk adherent to the lower part of the perianth-tube; ovary superior or semi-inferior, 4-celled, with numerous ovules in each cell; styles 4.

Capsule enclosed in the persistent perianth, opening septicidally and sometimes simultaneously loculicidally thus appearing 8-valved; the central column bearing the fringe-like placentas and funicles on its upper half; the valves spreading apart when wet; seeds light- or dark-brown, verrucose to tuberculate.

Distribution:  13 species, endemic to Australia. (R. S. Adamson (1959) Jl S. Afr. Bot. 25:29-50; R. J. Chinnock (1984) J: Adelaide Bot. Gard. 6:133-179.

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: The key and some descriptions are based largely on J. Venning (1984) Fl. Aust. 4:42-50.)

Key to Species:
1. Stamens numerous
 
2. Leaves narrow-linear to terete
 
3. Leaves and stems densely pubescent
G. quadrifida 5.
3. Leaves and stems glabrous
G. tenuifolia 7.
2. Leaves flat, linear to lanceolate or obovate
 
4. Leaves lanceolate; stems and leaves covered with peltate scales
G. calcarea 1.
4. Leaves spathulate, ovate or linear; if stems and leaves pubescent, trichomes not peltate scales
 
5. Perennials, densely pubescent
G. zygophylloides 8.
5. Annuals, glabrous
 
6. Papillae sparsely distributed on leaves and branches
G. calva 2.
6. Papillae numerous on leaves and branches though sometimes lacking from lower branches
 
7. Perianth yellow or white inside
G. papillata 4.
7. Perianth pink on the inside
G. kochii 3.
1. Stamens 4 or 8
G. septifraga 6.

Author: Not yet available


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