Fibrous perennials; stems dwarf and tufted or sparsely branched, up to ± 4 m tall, protected by dense leaf bases, with roots passing down stem within leaf bases
Leaves
mostly with transverse abscission band towards base and apical part falling with age
Flowers
solitary on each peduncle, sometimes few between fascicles of leaves
Perianth
with very short tube, or divided to top of ovary
Stamens
: filaments short; anthers dorsifixed
Ovary
± round in cross section, spiny, or with multicellular hairs; with many ovules in each locule on projecting placentas; style simple, short; stigma columnar
Fruit
often flat or concave on top
Seeds
attenuate-turbinate, angled, many
x = 12 (polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
Xerophyta
Juss.
Jussieu: 50 (1789)
Baker: 231 (1875)
Sölch: 1 (1969)
Coetzee et al.: 3 (1973)
Coetzee: 19 (1974)
Smith & Ayensu: 184 (1974)
Vellozia
in sense of Baker
Baker: 244 (1896)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species ± 30-40
Southern Africa
: Species 9, widespread
References:
BAKER, J.G. 1875. Synopsis of the African species of
Xerophyta
.
Journal of Botany
13
BAKER, J.G. 1896.
Vellozia
.
Flora capensis
6
COETZEE, H. 1974. Anatomy of the leaves of the
Velloziaceae
in South Africa and South West Africa and a key based on leaf anatomy.
Dinteria
10
COETZEE, H., VAN DER SCHIJFF, H.P. & STEYN, E. 1973. External morphology of the species of the South African
Velloziaceae
including a key based on external morphological characteristics.
Dinteria
9
JUSSIEU, A.-L. DE. 1789.
Genera plantarum
. Herissant & Barrois, Paris
SÖLCH, A. 1969.
Velloziaceae
.
Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika
152
SMITH, L.B. & AYENSU, E.S. 1974. Classification of Old World
Velloziaceae
.
Kew Bulletin
29
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