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

Acanthaceae - Acanthoideae - Justicieae - Justiciinae - Rhinacanthus Nees

Description :

  • Herbs or suffrutices, often with ribbed branches
  • Leaves petiolate, entire or obscurely undulate-crenate
  • Inflorescence terminal, panicles or scorpioid cymes of monochasial cymes or thyrses; bracts and bracteoles small, linear
  • Calyx regular, hairy or with stalked glands; tube shorter than lobes; lobes 5, linear-lanceolate
  • Corolla 2-lipped, pilose; upper lip entire or emarginate, rugula distinct; lower lip 3-lobed; aestivation ascending; tube much longer than lobes, cylindric
  • Androecium : fertile stamens 2, arising in mouth of corolla, exserted; filaments linear; anthers 2-thecous; thecae superposed, muticous; staminodes 0
  • Pollen prolate, 3-colporate, with pseudocolpi; surface reticulate
  • Disc shallowly cupular, with V-shaped slit, sometimes with 2 awns
  • Gynoecium : ovary with 2 ovules in each locule, ± ellipsoid, hairy; style filiform, running in rugula, exserted; style branches 2, equal, cylindriform, longer than broad
  • Capsule oblong, hairy, stipitate, with inelastic placental bases
  • Seeds suborbicular or transversely oblong; surface rough and tuberculate
  • x = 10 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Rhinacanthus Nees
    • Nees von Esenbeck: 76 (1832)
    • Balkwill: 11 (1995)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 22, Africa to Asia
  • Southern Africa : Species 3, N Namibia, Swaziland, northern and eastern provinces of South Africa

References:

  • BALKWILL, K. 1995. Rhinacanthus . Flora of southern Africa 30,3,1
  • NEES VON ESENBECK, C.G.D. 1832. Acanthaceae indiae orientalis. In N.Wallich, Plantae asiaticae rariores 3. Treuttel & Würtz, London