Family: Amaranthaceae
Dysphania
Citation:
R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 411 (1810).
Derivation: Greek dysphanes, scarcely visible; referring to the very small flowers.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: None
Description:
Annual or short-lived perennial herbs with subsessile glands or simple and gland-tipped hairs, aromatic; leaves alternate, simple, entire or variously dissected.
Inflorescence of compact clusters of flowers, axillary, spicoid or paniculate in arrangement; flowers ebracteate, minute, bisexual (rarely male) and female; perianth-segments 1-4 (3 or 4 in terminal bisexual flowers of each glomerule), free or united towards the base; limb cucullate and often inflated or spongy; stamens 1 or 2; disk absent; ovary ellipsoid; stigmas 1 or 2, linear, delicate.
Pericarp extremely thing seed erect to horizontal, globular to ellipsoid or laterally compressed; testa crustaceous, smooth; embryo lateral or basal, situated beneath a groove (embryo-groove); radicle inferior or superior.
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Distribution:
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10 species all endemic to mainland Australia.
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Biology:
No text
Key to Species:
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2. Flowers in axillary clusters |
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3. Perianth-segments united at the base and shed with the seed enclosed |
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D. glomulifera 1. |
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3. Perianth-segments free; seed and perianth-segments shed separately |
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4. Seed strongly flattened laterally (usually slightly twisted), more or less obovate; pericarp almost smooth |
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D. platycarpa 4. |
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4. Seed ellipsoid, obovoid, or lenticular; pericarp smooth or glandular-papillate |
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D. glomulifera 1. |
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2. Flowers in spike-like inflorescences |
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5. Perianth-segments free, rounded or inconspicuously keeled on the back |
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D. plantaginella 3. |
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5. Perianth-segments united into a hard cup-shaped tube in the lower half, prominently (and horizontally) keeled |
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D. simulans 6. |
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6. Plant prostrate or decumbent, with several stems arising from the base; seed glossy, compressed-globular; inflorescence slender, spicate |
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D. kalpari 2. |
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6. Plant erect, with one main stem; seed dull (rarely glossy), almost globular; inflorescence paniculate |
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D. rhadinostachya 5. |
Author:
Not yet available
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