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

Podostemaceae - Tristicha Thouars

Description :

  • Moss-like plants, with haptera, and filiform to linear, creeping roots
  • Stems branching freely and sympodially, giving off leafy shoots and abbreviated flowering shoots
  • Leaves tristichous with 2 lateral and one dorsal row, closely imbricate, sessile, simple, small, ovate, consisting of one layer of cells in thickness
  • Flowers terminal and/or axillary, surrounded at base, with 2 or 3 free bracts; pedicels erect, sometimes short
  • Perianth usually marcescent, consisting of 3 lobes united at base
  • Stamens 1, hypogynous; filaments filiform; anthers apiculate
  • Ovary sessile, 3-locular with a swollen, triangular placenta; styles 3, short, linear, with stigmatic area decurrent on inside
  • Capsule ovoid, ribbed, septicidally 3-valved, 1 valve breaking away

Nomenclature:

  • Tristicha Thouars
    • Thouars: 3 (1806)
    • Podlech: 1 (1966)
    • Obermeyer: 206 (1970)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 2, 1 in Australia, the other: Tristicha trifaria (Bory ex Willd.) Spreng., tropical America, Africa and the Mascarene Islands
  • Southern Africa : Namibia, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape

References:

  • OBERMEYER, A.A. 1970. Podostemaceae . Flora of southern Africa 13
  • PODLECH, D. 1966. Podostemaceae . Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 62
  • THOUARS, L-M, A.A. DU PETIT. 1806. Genera nova madagascariensia . Académie des Sciences, Paris