Family: Caryophyllaceae
Scleranthus
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 406 (1753).
Derivation: Greek skleros, hard; anthos, flower; alluding to the hardened fruiting calyx.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Knawels.
Description:
Annual or perennial small densely branched herbs; leaves dilated and connate at the base, sometimes clustered, usually ciliolate.
Inflorescence of more or less dense terminal and axillary cymose clusters; sepals 5, rarely 4, united for about half of their length so as to form a lobed calyx, the tube of which becomes hardened at maturity; petals absent; stamens perigynous, 1, 2, or 5, if 5 then alternating with 5 staminodes; styles 2, slender.
Capsule membranous, indehiscent, enclosed in the calyx tube; seed 1, pyriform.
Distribution:
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About 10 species in Australia, Europe and Asia.
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Biology:
No text
Key to Species:
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1. Flowers sessile; lobes broadly lanceolate or ovate; stamens 2 or 5 |
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2. Leaves not pungent; lobes broadly lanceolate; stamens 2 |
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S. diander 1. |
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2. Leaves pungent; lobes ovate; stamens 5 |
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S. pungens 3. |
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1. Flowers pedicellate; lobes lanceolate; stamens 2 |
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S. minusculus 2. |
Author:
Not yet available
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