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

Balanitaceae - Balanites Delile

Description :

  • Shrubs or trees, with simple or forked spines
  • Leaves alternate, 2-foliolate; leaflets obovate, elliptic or ovate-elliptic, entire; stipules 0
  • Flowers bisexual, regular, in axillary cymes
  • Calyx : sepals 5, free, somewhat leathery, villous on outer surface, tomentose within, 4 inner ones with membranous margins
  • Petals 5, free, somewhat fleshy, imbricate
  • Disc thick, 10-furrowed or 5-lobed
  • Stamens 10, inserted at base of disc; filaments free; anthers 2-thecous, opening by longitudinal slits
  • Ovary superior but partly immersed in disc, 5-locular, globose, with an apical pendulous ovule in each locule, villous; style short, terete or 5-grooved; stigmas 1-5, simple
  • Fruit a fleshy drupe, 1-seeded by abortion
  • Seeds with thick, oily cotyledons; endosperm 0
  • x = 9 (8) (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Balanites Delile
    • Delile: 221 (1813) name conserved
    • Launert: 221 (1963)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 20, mostly in Africa, few in Malaysia
  • Southern Africa : Species 4, Namibia, Northern Province, Mpumalanga, Swaziland and KwaZulu-Natal

References:

  • DELILE, A.R. 1813. Description de l'Égypte. Histoire naturelle . Vol. 2. Imprimerie impériale, Paris
  • LAUNERT, E. 1963. Balanitaceae . Flora zambesiaca 2