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

Polygalaceae - Securidaca L.

Description :

  • Small trees or shrubs, sometimes spiny
  • Leaves alternate
  • Flowers in terminal and axillary racemes or panicles
  • Sepals unequal, 2 large, coloured, wing-like
  • Petals 3(5), free, adnate below to staminal tube; median one hooded; if 5 present, then 2 upper scale-like
  • Stamens 8; filaments linear, connate into a split tube which is sometimes ciliate; anthers 2-thecous, opening by a triangular, recurved, frontal valve
  • Ovary 1(2)-locular; style arising obliquely on ovary, flattened above; stigma terminal
  • Fruit a samara, sometimes reticulated
  • Seeds globose, with loose, membranous inner seed coat
  • x = 16 (1 report)

Nomenclature:

  • Securidaca L.
    • Linnaeus: 707 (1753)
    • Linnaeus: 316 (1754) in part
    • Linnaeus: 1155 (1759) name conserved
    • Exell: 304 (1960)
    • Friedrich-Holzhammer & Merxmüller: 8 (1968)
    • Johnson: 5 (1987)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 80, Africa, America, Asia
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Securidaca longepedunculata Fresen., Namibia, Botswana, Northern Province, North-West, Gauteng and Mpumalanga

References:

  • EXELL, A.W. 1960. Polygalaceae . Flora zambesiaca 1
  • FRIEDRICH-HOLZHAMMER, M. & MERXMÜLLER, H. 1968. Polygala L., Securidaca L. Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 73
  • JOHNSON, C.T. 1987. Taxonomy of the African species of Securidaca ( Polygalaceae ). South African Journal of Botany 53,1
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum . Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1754. Genera plantarum . Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1759. Systema naturae . Vol. 2. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm