e-Key v3 - Kochia
SANBI Flora Keys Logo
Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Chenopodiaceae - Chenopodioideae - Camphorosmeae - Kochia Roth

Description :

  • Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs; stems ascending or erect, rather slender, with a prominent indumentum of spreading or adpressed barbellate or smooth hairs, or almost glabrous
  • Leaves alternate, flat or semicylindrical, linear to lanceolate, sessile, not or scarcely fleshy
  • Flowers bisexual or unisexual, urceolate, solitary, or in pairs in leaf axils; bracteate or ebracteate
  • Tepals 5, membranous, connate to ± middle; in fruit developing variously-shaped spreading wings
  • Stamens (4)5, exserted; thecae broadly oblong-ovoid, without appendages
  • Ovary broadly ovoid; style elongate with 2 prominently papillose apical arms
  • Fruit enclosed within persistent segments, horizontally compressed
  • Seed horizontal; endosperm scanty; embryo horseshoe-shaped
  • x = 9 (aneuploids, polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Kochia Roth
    • Roth: 307 (1801)
    • Hedge: 104 (1997)
  • Bassia in part, in strict sense Bassia section Kochia (Roth) A.J.Scott
    • Scott: 107 (1978)
    • Kühn: 269 (1993)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 5; Africa and Eurasia
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Kochia tricophylla Stapf, Northern and Eastern Cape

References:

  • HEDGE, I.C. 1997. Chenopodiaceae . Beta , Atriplex , Bassia , Kochia , Halopeplis & Salicornia . Flora iranica 172
  • KÜHN, U. 1993. Chenopodiaceae . In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich, The families and genera of vascular plants - dicotyledons 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
  • ROTH, A.W. 1801. Chenopodiaceae . In H.A. Schrader, Journal für die Botanik 1
  • SCOTT, A.J. 1978. A revision of the Camphorosmoideae ( Chenopodiaceae ). Feddes Repertorium 89