Family: Primulaceae
Samolus
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 171 (1753).
Derivation: Latin name of some marsh plants mentioned by Pliny.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: None
Description:
Perennial herbs, rarely with a slightly woody base, often with runners, with stems terete; leaves in a more or less clear basal rosette and/or along one to several erect branches terminating in an inflorescence, spirally arranged, sessile or petiolate.
Inflorescence a raceme or corymb, with bracts usually distinctly shorter than the leaves below; calyx with 5 persistent smooth lobes; corolla tubular, with 5 spreading lobes; stamens 5, opposite the petals and alternating with the linear staminodes, all partly fused to the corolla tube; ovary semi-inferior.
Capsule splitting along the sutures of the 5 carpels, each valve being opposite and almost as long as the calyx lobes.
Distribution:
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Cosmopolitan; about 15 species found mainly in the Southern Hemisphere.
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Biology:
No text
Key to Species:
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1. Flowering inflorescence a raceme; cauline leaves obovate to spathulate |
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S. eremaeus 1. |
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1. Flowering inflorescence a corymb, or if racemose then cauline leaves linear-elliptic to linear-oblanceolate |
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S. repens 2. |
Author:
Not yet available
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