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

Salvadoraceae - Salvadora L.

Description :

  • Shrubs or trees, often bushy, sometimes subscandent; sometimes emitting an unpleasant odour
  • Leaves opposite, with minute oil glands
  • Inflorescence terminal and axillary in upper leaves; flowers bisexual or subunisexual, pedicelled to subsessile, in long, branched panicles which are sometimes sessile and so appearing to be in fascicled spikes
  • Calyx campanulate, 4-lobed up to about midway
  • Corolla shortly united at base; lobes 4, obtuse, eventually upper portion spreading or reflexing
  • Stamens arising on corolla tube, alternating with lobes; anthers slightly shorter than free portion of filament
  • Disc usually present, consisting of 4 squamae at base of corolla tube and alternating with stamens
  • Ovary 1-locular, with solitary, basal ovule; style short; stigma terminal, inconspicuous
  • Fruit a small drupe, exalbuminous
  • x = 12 (13)

Nomenclature:

  • Salvadora L.
    • Linnaeus: 122 (1753)
    • Verdoorn: 132 (1963)
    • Vickery: 380 (1983)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 5, Africa, Arabian Peninsula and Asia
  • Southern Africa : Species 2, Namibia, Botswana, Northern Province, North-West, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal

References:

  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum . Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • VERDOORN, I.C. 1963. Salvadoraceae . Flora of southern Africa 26
  • VICKERY, A.R. 1983. Salvadoraceae . Flora zambesiaca 7,1