Family: Aizoaceae
Tetragonia
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 480 (1753).
Derivation: Greek tetra, four; gonia, angle; alluding to the 4-angled fruit of some species.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Native spinach.
Description:
Herbs or undershrubs, sometimes climbing, sometimes papillose, with alternate thick exstipulate leaves.
Flowers solitary or paired in leaf axils; perianth of 3-5 valvate lobes; stamens 4-25, inserted at the summit of the ovary, free, all fertile; ovary inferior or semi-inferior, 2-8-celled, with 1 pendulous ovule in each cell.
Fruit succulent or not, indehiscent, with a bony endocarp. Together with another African genus, often placed in the Tetragoniaceae.
Distribution:
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Perhaps 60 species in Africa, Asia, South America, New Zealand and Australia.
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Biology:
No text
Key to Species:
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1. Peduncle 3-20 mm long; stamens 12-numerous; flowers yellow |
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2. Fruit dry; flowers 3-5 in each leaf axil |
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T. decumbens 1. |
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2. Fruit a berry; flowers solitary in each leaf axil |
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T. implexicoma 3. |
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1. Peduncle 0 or flowers subsessile; stamens 8-16; flowers greenish |
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3. Fruit 4-keeled or 4-winged, often compressed, 3-8 mm diam. |
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T. eremaea 2. |
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3. Fruit with 2-6 longitudinal ridges ending in teeth or horns, 8-15 m diam |
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T. tetragonioides 4. |
Author:
Not yet available
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