e-Key v3 - Key to Mesembryanthemaceae Fruit Types
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.
Backtrack a
  • Seeds/funicles axile
  • Expanding keels extending from central axis of capsule to tips of valves
Mesembryanthemum type
b
  • Seeds/funicles ± parietal, rarely axile (Caryotophora, Hymenogyne) but then fruits schizocarpic
  • Expanding keels not extending to central axis or absent
002
Backtrack a
  • Valve wings narrow or absent, or fruits schizocarpic or fleshy and indehiscent
  • Closing bodies present or represented by bunches of sterile funicular hairs
002
b
  • Valve wings broad
  • Closing bodies absent or large, or sometimes developed from a broad base in the shape of a ledge, boss or bracket; or represented by bunches of funicular hairs
002
Backtrack a
  • Covering membranes absent or fruit schizocarpic
Apatesia type
b
  • Covering membranes well developed or fruit fleshy and indehiscent
002
Backtrack a
  • Closing bodies small, rod-shaped
Ruschia type
b
  • Closing bodies absent but represented by bunches of sterile funicular hairs
Lampranthus type
Backtrack a
  • Expanding keels ± in the form of broad, ± flat sheets and appressed to valves
Mitrophyllum type
b
  • Expanding keels markedly raised, not merging into expanding sheets
002
Backtrack a
  • Closing bodies large, distinctly stalked, often whitish
  • Capsule often with 10 or more locules
Leipoldtia type
b
  • Closing bodies absent, or small, or represented by bunches of sterile funicular hairs
  • Capsules seldom with up to 10 locules
002
Backtrack a
  • Expanding keels parallel, radial
Delosperma type
b
  • Expanding keels divergent
002
Backtrack a
  • Exits of locules blocked by bunches of funicular hairs
Lampranthus type
b
  • Exits of locules without closing devices
002
Backtrack a
  • Covering membranes flat
Drosanthemum type
b
  • Covering membranes with boundaries of central parts slightly raised into ridges
  • Margins of distal parts bent into locules
Titanopsis type

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