Perennial herbs, sometimes with decumbent stems or acaulescent
Leaves
entire to faintly crenate or toothed
Inflorescence
terminal or axillary, dichasial cymes, congested, sometimes peduncled heads; bracts foliaceous, ovate, weakly spinescent on margins; lower bract large, sterile; bracteoles slender or 0
Calyx
subregular; lobes 5, with one slightly longer than others or two laterals shorter than others; tube shorter than lobes
Corolla
± 2-lipped; upper lip 2-lobed, lower 3-lobed; lobes semiorbicular or obovate; aestivation quincuncial; tube longer than lobes, usually with 2 large gibbosities at base
Androecium
: fertile stamens 4, didynamous; filaments arising in pairs in lower portion of corolla tube, linear; anthers 2-thecous; thecae parallel or subparallel, sometimes ciliate, muticous; staminodes 0
Pollen
spheroidal, 3-porate; surface with large reticulations
Disc
cupular, with V-shaped slit
Gynoecium
: ovary with 2-4 ovules in each locule; style terete, articulated on ovary, included; style branch 1, ventral lobe expanded
Capsule
± cylindric, estipitate, with inelastic placental bases
Seeds
flattened, with hygroscopic hairs over whole surface
x = 6 or 7 (1 report, polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
Crabbea
Harv.
Harvey: 26 (1842) name conserved
Clarke: 118 (1899)
Clarke: 38 (1901)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species ± 12, Africa
Southern Africa
: Species 7, Namibia (Caprivi), Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and mainly northern and eastern provinces of South Africa
References:
BURKILL, I.H. & CLARKE, C.B. 1899.
Acanthaceae
.
Flora of tropical Africa
5
HARVEY, W.H. 1842. Descriptions of several new genera of South African plants.
London Journal of Botany
1
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