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

Ranunculaceae - Myosurus L.

Description :

  • Small, annual, stemless herbs
  • Leaves basal, linear to linear-oblong, entire
  • Flowers bisexual, terminal, solitary, pedunculate
  • Sepals 5(6 or 7), sepaloid, with long or short spurs at base
  • Petals (0)5(6 or 7), as long as or slightly shorter than sepals, narrow, with nectariferous pit at summit of each claw
  • Stamens 5-25, ± equalling sepals
  • Carpels many, borne on central axis which elongates in fruit
  • Fruitlets many, small, apiculate or aristate achenes with distinct dorsal ridges, crowded on an elongated axis
  • x = 8

Nomenclature:

  • Myosurus L.
    • Linnaeus: 284 (1753)
    • Linnaeus: 137 (1754)
    • Tutin: 238 (1964)
    • Tamura: 577 (1993)
    • Whittemore: 135 (1997)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 15, all continents, lacking in tropical zone and east Asia, most richly represented in W North America
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Myosurus minimus L., restricted to Western Cape

References:

  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum , edn 1. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1754. Genera plantarum , edn 5. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • TAMURA, M. 1993. Ranunculaceae . In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich, The families and genera of vascular plants - dicotyledons 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
  • TUTIN, T.G. 1964. Ranunculaceae . Flora europaea 1
  • WHITTEMORE, A.T. 1997. Ranunculaceae . Myosurus . Flora of north America, North of Mexico 3