e-Key v3 - Phaeoptilum
SANBI Flora Keys Logo
Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Nyctaginaceae - Phaeoptilum Radlk.

Description :

  • Spiny, Lycium-like shrubs with long and short shoots, densely branched, spreading; bark grey or yellowish
  • Leaves alternate or usually fascicled, sessile to subsessile, linear-cuneiform, ± fleshy, entire
  • Flowers bisexual or occasionally unisexual, solitary or in fascicles, usually on leafless branches; bracts small; bracteoles 0
  • Perianth : tube campanulate; lobes 4 or 5, ovate, spreading
  • Male flowers with 8 or 9 stamens, of two different lengths; the longer shortly exserted; filaments filiform, connate into short ± fleshy cup at base; anthers oblong-elliptic
  • Female flowers with very short stamens; ovary shortly stipitate; style asymmetrically inserted at apex of ovary, stout; stigma truncate, penicillate
  • Fruit enclosed in persistent, hardened, elongated perianth tube (anthocarp); anthocarp broadly 4- or 5-winged
  • Seed with hooked embryo

Nomenclature:

  • Phaeoptilum Radlk.
    • Radlkofer: 435 (1883)
    • Heimerl: 28 (1889)
    • Baker & Wright: 9 (1909)
    • Cooke: 396 (1910)
    • Heimerl: 123 (1934)
    • Schreiber: 6 (1969)
    • Stannard: 28 (1988)
    • Bittrich & Kühn: 483 (1993)
  • Nachtigalia Schinz ex Engl.
    • Engler: 128 (1894)
  • Amphoranthus S.Moore
    • Moore: 305, 408 (1902)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Southern Africa : Monotypic: Phaeoptilum spinosum Radlk., endemic, frequent in hot, arid regions, Namibia, Botswana, Northern Province, Free State and Northern Cape

References:

  • BAKER, J.G. & WRIGHT, C.H. 1909. Nyctagineae . Flora of tropical Africa 6,1
  • BITTRICH, V. & KÜHN, U. 1993. Nyctaginaceae . In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich, The families and genera of vascular plants - dicotyledons 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
  • COOKE, T. 1910. Nyctagineae . Flora capensis 5,1
  • ENGLER, A. 1894. Plantae Gürichianae. Ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Flora von Deutsch-Südwestafrika. Botanische Jahrbücher 19
  • HEIMERL, A. 1889. Nyctaginaceae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien 3,1b
  • HEIMERL, A. 1934. Nyctaginaceae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien , edn 2, 16c
  • MOORE, S. 1902. Amphoranthus . Journal of Botany, London 4
  • RADLKOFER, L.A.J. 1883. Phaeoptilon. Abhandlungen vom Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein zu Bremen 8.
  • SCHREIBER, A. 1969. Nyctaginaceae . Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 25
  • STANNARD, B.L. 1988. Nyctaginaceae . Flora zambesiaca 9,1

Copyright of the content hosted by this website remains with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), unless stated otherwise.
Material from this site may be used in other media, provided that SANBI is acknowledged by the name South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) or refer to the ' How to cite this resource ' paragraph on the Home page.
Liability disclaimer: Visitors use this site at their own risk and SANBI is not liable for any of the consequences resulting therefrom.