Source:
SSA
Synonym(s):
Pupal Adans.: 268, 596 (1763).
Description:
Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, often trichotomously branched, sometimes scandent. Leaves opposite, broad, entire, petiolate. Inflorescence a spiciform bracteate thyrse, terminal on stem and branches, each bract subtending a partial inflorescence of 1-more fertile bisexual flowers which are subtended on each side by modified sterile flowers formed of 3-more stalked clusters of hooked spines; bracts persistent, finally +/- deflexed, entire; partial inflorescence falling as a burr in fruit. Tepals 5, free, lanceolate, shortly mucronate, loosely woolly. Stamens 5; filaments linear, connate at base around ovary; pseudostaminodes 0; anthers 2-thecous. Ovary subglobose; ovule solitary, pendulous, basal; style slender; stigma capitate. Capsule thin-walled, irregularly ruptured below firm apex by developing seed. Seed oblong-ovoid or ovoid, black, slightly compressed; perisperm/endosperm copious. x= 10 (13) (high polyploidy) .
Distribution:
Species 4, tropics of Old World from Africa to Malaysia and the Philippines; 2 in sthn Afr., Namibia, Botswana, the northern provinces, Swaziland, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern and Eastern Cape.
Classification:
Add new comment