genus descriptions: SSAs

Shrubs to shrublets with branches erect, cartilaginous, but usually somewhat woody, rarely regenerating from base. Leaves opposite, free, fleshy, persistent, usually producing pseudobulbils on margin. Inflorescence a thyrse consisting of several dichasia usually ending in monochasia with few flowers; bracts on peduncle distinct, abruptly shorter than leaves; flowers pendulous, 4-merous. Calyx: sepals 4, fused more than half their length. Corolla fused into tube longer than spreading lobes. Stamens 8, in 2 whorls; filaments glabrous, fused to corolla tube in lower third; anthers usually protruding, with terminal appendage spherical or almost so. Squamae 4, free. Carpels 4, free, with ovary abruptly constricted into long, +/- filiform styles. Seeds ellipsoid, with a constriction and abruptly widening at blunt proximal end, covered with vertical ridges and dense horizontal striations in grooves between them. x= 17 (aneuploids, polyploidy).

Delicate annual or perennial undershrubs to shrubs, rarely treelets, with cartilaginous to soft-wooded branches, rarely perennating in tubers. Leaves opposite, +/- connate, membranous to thickly fleshy, persistent or deciduous, rarely regenerating from base. Inflorescence a thyrse with 1-many dichasia, rarely reduced to monochasia or a single terminal flower; peduncle present to indistinct, with bracts distinctly shorter to as long as leaves; flowers spreading or stiffly erect, (4)5(-12)-merous. Corolla with (4)5(-12) petals, basely shortly fused into a tube (often not visible with the naked eye), free lobes often tubular with +/- spreading apices. Stamens (4)5(-12), in one whorl; filaments glabrous and +/- fused to corolla tube; anthers included or exserted, without terminal appendage. Squamae (4)5(-12), free. Carpels (4)5(-12), usually free and gradually constricted into style terminating in a single stigma, but stigma sometimes sessile or laterally placed. Seeds ellipsoid, smooth to covered with variously shaped tubercles which are often arranged in vertical rows. x= 7, 8 (aneuploids, high polyploidy).

Annual or more often perennial herbs, shrubs or subshrubs, glabrous or pubescent; hairs 1- or few-celled, papillose, vesicular, setose or variously branched. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, usually semiterete or terete, fleshy, entire, sessile, narrow, often scale-like, sometimes linear-subulate, sometimes amplexicaul at base. Inflorescences clusters of loose or dense, simple or paniculate spikes, or flowers solitary, bracteate; bracts leaf-like or scaly; bracteoles 2, green at least in upper part, with wide hyaline margins +/- enclosing the small flowers, often cucullate. Flowers axillary, usually bisexual, sessile, protandrous. Tepals 4 or 5, outer wider than inner, radially veined, each tepal developing in fruit above the middle a scarious horizontally spreading, translucent to opaque, pinkish to pale brown wing. Stamens 5 or less, antitepalous; filaments band-shaped, fused at ovary base or inserted on outside of disc; anthers linear, oval or sagittate in outline, often with a connective disc; disc thin or thick, often lobed, glabrous, glandular papillose or ciliate; apically with small or large, distinctly shaped appendages. Ovary globose, depressed or broadly ovoid, narrowed into style; ovule basal, subsessile, suspended from apex of an enlarged funicle; style short or long, thin or thick, rarely 0; stigmas 2, rarely 3. Fruit usually consisting of a utricle and adnate fruiting perianth, both shed together as an anemophilous diaspore; pericarp membranous or fleshy. Seed orbicular, with membranous testa, usually horizontal; endosperm almost 0; embryo plano- or conical-spiral, greenish. x= 9 (high polyploidy).

Annual or perennial herbs, or subshrubs, erect or prostrate, +/- fleshy, usually glabrous to sparsely puberulous. Leaves alternate or in whorls of three, fleshy, entire, narrow, cylindrical or somewhat flattened. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, sessile, in clusters of (1-)3(-9) in upper axils of bracts, at length adnate to base of leaves, subtended by 2 or 3 minute, scarious, pellucid bracteoles. Perianth succulent, 5-lobed; lobes free or connate to middle, keeled, or rounded on back, sometimes cucullate or horned. Stamens 5, hypogynous or attached to perianth tube. Ovary free from or rarely united with perianth, hemispherical to conical, broadly sessile; ovule basal; stigmas 2-5. Fruit with membranous or sometimes spongy, thickened, indehiscent pericarp; pericarp thin, free from perianth; heterocarpy common. Seed horizontal or vertical, lenticular; testa smooth, thin, hard and glossy; endosperm 0 or scanty; embryo spiral. x= 9 (high polyploidy).