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

Molluginaceae - Hypertelis E.Mey. ex Fenzl

Description :

  • Glaucous, annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs
  • Leaves alternate or in false whorls, filiform, terete, ± fleshy; stipules entire, membranous, adnate to leaf base, forming dilated, amplexicaul sheath
  • Inflorescences terminal or seemingly axillary umbel-like thyrses with long peduncles
  • Sepals 5, whitish or pink
  • Petals 0
  • Stamens (3-)5-15(-many)
  • Ovary 3-5-locular; ovules many per locule; stigmas 3-5, short
  • Fruit a membranous, loculicidal, 3-5-valved capsule
  • Seeds triangular in outline, smooth
  • x = 8

Nomenclature:

  • Hypertelis E.Mey. ex Fenzl
    • Fenzl: 352 (1836)
    • Sonder: 144 (1860)
    • Pax & Hoffmann: 227 (1934)
    • Adamson: 51 (1958)
    • Jeffrey: 18 (1961)
    • Friedrich: 7 (1966)
    • Gonçalves: 546 (1978)
    • Endress & Bittrich: 424 (1993)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 9, basically a southern Africa genus, with 1 species extending to tropical Africa and Madagascar and 1 endemic to St Helena
  • Southern Africa : Species 8, widespread in all regions except Lesotho

References:

  • ADAMSON, R.S. 1958. The South African species of Aizoaceae . IV. Mollugo , Pharnaceum , Coelanthum and Hypertelis . Journal of South African Botany 24
  • ENDRESS, M.E. & BITTRICH, V. 1993. Molluginaceae . In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich, The families and genera of vascular plants - dicotyledons 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
  • FENZL, E. 1836. Monographie der Mollugineen und Steudelieen. Annalen des Wiener Museums der Naturgeschichte 1
  • FRIEDRICH, H.C. 1966. Molluginaceae . Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 26
  • GONÇALVES, M.L. 1978. Molluginaceae . Flora zambesiaca 4
  • JEFFREY, C. 1961. Aizoaceae . Flora of tropical East Africa . Aizoaceae
  • PAX, F. & HOFFMANN, K. 1934. Aizoaceae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien , edn 2,16c
  • SONDER, O.W. 1860. Caryophylleae . Flora capensis 1