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

Euphorbiaceae - Acalyphoideae - Acalypheae - Leidesia Müll.Arg.

Description :

  • Herbs, delicate; monoecious
  • Leaves alternate or nearly opposite, petiolate, usually slightly crenate and with scattered setae on margin
  • Inflorescence of minute male flowers in fascicles arranged in terminal racemes and of a few female flowers towards base of rachis, subtended by a leafy bract
  • Petals 0
  • Disc 0
  • Male flower : calyx membranous, splitting into 3 valvate, setaceous lobes; stamens 3-7; filaments free or sometimes connate at base; pistil 0
  • Female flowers : calyx reduced to bract or obsolete; ovary 2-locular, with a solitary ovule in each locule, usually with few setae; styles 2, free, entire
  • Fruit a 2(1)-locular capsule, setose-muricate, globose
  • Seeds subglobose, with sculptured testa; albumen fleshy; cotyledons broad, flat

Nomenclature:

  • Leidesia Müll.Arg.
    • MüllerArgau: 792 (1866)
    • Prain: 399 (1913)
    • Prain: 462 (1920)
    • Pax & Hoffmann: 284 (1914)
    • Webster: 85 (1994)
    • Radcliffe-Smith: 159 (1996)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Leidesia procumbens (L.) Prain, fairly widespread

References:

  • MÜLLER ARGAU, J. 1866. Euphorbiaceae [in part]. In A. de Candolle, Prodromus 15. Treuttel & Würtz, Paris
  • PAX, F. & HOFFMANN, K. 1914. Euphorbiaceae - Acalypheae - Mercurialinae . Das Pflanzenreich 147,6 (Heft 63)
  • PRAIN, D. 1913. The Mercurialieae and Adenoclineae of South Africa. Annals of Botany 27
  • PRAIN, D. 1920. Euphorbiaceae [in part]. Flora capensis 5, 2
  • RADCLIFFE-SMITH, A. 1996. Euphorbiaceae . Flora zambesiaca 9, 4
  • WEBSTER, G.L. 1994. Synopsis of the genera and suprageneric taxa of Euphorbiaceae . Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 81