Family: Nyctaginaceae
Boerhavia
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 3 (1753).
Derivation: After Hermann Boerhaave, 1668-1738, a professor of medicine, botany and chemistry at the University of Leiden.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Tar-vine, tah-vine, geotcho.
Description:
Annual or perennial herbs, prostrate, erect or climbing, glabrous or hairy; leaves opposite, petiolate.
Flowers small, in few-flowered umbels on simple or branched axillary peduncles; petaloid part of the perianth 5-lobed, about as long as the lower part; stamens 2-4, attached near the base of the perianth; ovary erect and stipitate within the lower part of the perianth; style simple, with a dilated stigma; anthocarp 5-ribbed, pyriform.
Distribution:
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20 species in warm parts of the world; 8 in Australia.
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Biology:
No text
Taxonomic notes:
The following treatment is largely from Meikle & Hewson (1984) Fl. Aust. 4:6-13. B. diffusa L., to which all S.Aust. species were previously referred, does not occur in Australia.
Key to Species:
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1. Stems densely glandular-hairy with hairs more than 0.5 mm long. |
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B. coccinea 1. |
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1. Stems subglabrous or sparsely hairy with hairs less than 0.5 mm long |
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2. Inflorescence usually compound; stamens 2-4; fruits glandular- hairy |
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B. dominii 2. |
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2. Inflorescence usually simple; stamen 1; fruits glabrous or sparsely glandular-hairy especially on the ribs |
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B. schomburgkiana 3. |
Author:
Not yet available
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