Leaves
narrow, sessile, opposite, linear to oblong-lanceolate; stipules 0
Inflorescences
few-flowered lax cymes, or flowers sometimes solitary; bracts white-margined
Flowers
bisexual, shortly perigynous, erect
Sepals
4(5), free, with broad membranous margins
Petals
4(5), entire or retuse, ± half as long as sepals, white
Stamens
4(5) or 8(10)
Ovary
ovoid; styles (3)4 or 5
Fruit
an ovoid capsule, opening by 8 teeth at top
Seeds
many, reniform, papillose
x = 9, 19 (polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
*Moenchia
Ehrh.
Ehrhart: 177 (1788) name conserved
Pax: 81 (1889)
Pax & Hoffmann: 322 (1934)
Adamson: 393 (1950)
Clapham: 145 (1964)
Bittrich: 227 (1993)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species 3, West and Central Europe, Mediterranean
Southern Africa
: Species 1, introduced: *
Moenchia erecta
(L.) Gaertn. & Scherb., Western Cape
References:
ADAMSON, R.S. 1950.
Caryophyllaceae
. In R.S. Adamson & T.M. Salter,
Flora of the Cape Peninsula
. Juta, Cape Town
BITTRICH, V. 1993.
Caryophyllaceae
. In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich,
The families and genera of vascular plants - dicotyledons
2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
EHRHART, J. F. 1788.
Beiträge zur Naturkunde
2. Christian Ritscher, Hannover
PAX, F. 1889.
Caryophyllaceae
.
Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien
3,1b
PAX, F. & HOFFMANN, K. 1934.
Caryophyllaceae
.
Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien
II,16c
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