e-Key v3 - Waltheria
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Sterculiaceae - Waltheria L.

Description :

  • Shrublets, subherbaceous at first, pubescent with stellate, tufted and simple hairs
  • Leaves simple, crenate-dentate; stipulate
  • Flowers in axillary and terminal cymes, often congested, or heads of flowers racemosely or paniculately disposed; bracts often present
  • Calyx 5-lobed
  • Petals 5, marcescent
  • Stamens 5; filaments united into a tube; anther cells parallel
  • Ovary 1-locular; ovules 2, anatropous; style somewhat excentric, clavate or fimbriate at apex
  • Capsule usually 1-seeded
  • Seed ascending, endospermous; embryo straight
  • x = 10 (6, 7, 13) (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Waltheria L.
    • Linnaeus: 673 (1753)
    • Harvey: 180 (1860)
    • Wild: 536 (1961)
    • Friedrich-Holzhammer, Merxmüller & Roessler: 27 (1969)
    • Scott: 452 (1978)
    • Verdoorn: 275 (1981)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 67, tropics and subtropics of both Old and New World, greatest concentration of species in South and Central America, only 7 occur in the Old World and one of these is common to the Old and New World
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Waltheria indica L., Namibia, Botswana, Northern Province, North-West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape

References:

  • FRIEDRICH-HOLZHAMMER, M., MERXMÜLLER, H. & ROESSLER, H. 1969. Sterculiaceae . Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 84
  • HARVEY, W.H. 1860. Sterculiaceae , Vent. & Byttneriaceae , R.Br. Flora capensis 1
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum . Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • SCOTT, M.K. 1978. Sterculiaceae . Abnormal flowers in Waltheria indica . Bothalia 12
  • VERDOORN, I.C. 1981. The genus Waltheria in southern Africa. Bothalia 13
  • WILD, H. 1961. Sterculiaceae . Flora zambesiaca 1