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

Caryophyllaceae - Alsinoideae - Alsineae - *Sagina L.

Description :

  • Dwarf annual or perennial herbs, often tufted, sometimes cushion-like, or procumbent
  • Leaves subulate to linear-lanceolate, connate at base into a membranous sheath; stipules 0
  • Inflorescences few-flowered axillary or terminal cymes or flowers solitary on slender pedicels
  • Flowers bisexual, small and relatively inconspicuous
  • Sepals 4 or 5(6), free, sometimes persistent, green
  • Petals usually 0 or minute
  • Stamens 4 or 5 or (8)10
  • Ovary 1-locular; ovules many on free-central placenta; styles 4 or 5, very short, alternating with sepals
  • Fruit a capsule, dehiscent to base into 4 or 5 valves
  • Seeds many, orbicular-reniform, minute, brownish, slightly granulated
  • x = 11 (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) (high polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • *Sagina L.
    • Linnaeus: 128 (1753)
    • Linnaeus: 62 (1754)
    • Jussieu: 300 (1789)
    • Candolle: 389 (1824)
    • Pax: 81 (1889)
    • Burtt Davy: 151 (1926)
    • Pax & Hoffmann: 326 (1934)
    • Adamson: 393 (1950)
    • Clapham & Jardine: 146 (1964)
    • Zohary: 121 (1966)
    • Meikle: 273 (1977)
    • Friedrich: 827 (1979)
    • Chorney: 227 (1986)
    • Danin: 413 (1990)
    • Bittrich: 228 (1993)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 30, northern temperate regions, arctic, mountains from South to East Africa, Himalayas, New Guinea, Andes, several species (Pearlworts) widespread as tiny weeds in lawn
  • Southern Africa : Species 2, introduced: * Sagina apetala Ard. and * S. maritima G. Don, scattered in Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal

References:

  • ADAMSON, R.S. 1950. Caryophyllaceae . In R.S. Adamson & T.M. Salter, Flora of the Cape Peninsula . Juta, Cape Town
  • BITTRICH, V. 1993. Caryophyllaceae . In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich, The families and genera of vascular plants - dicotyledons 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
  • BURTT DAVY, J. 1926. Caryophyllaceae . A manual of the flowering plants and ferns of the Transvaal with Swaziland 1. Longmans, London
  • CANDOLLE, A.-P. DE. 1824. Caryophylleae . Prodromus 1. Treuttel & Würtz, Paris
  • CHORNEY, K. 1986. Caryophyllaceae . Flora of South Australia 1
  • CLAPHAM, A.R. & JARDINE, N. 1964. Caryophyllaceae . Subfamily Alsinoideae . Sagina . Flora europaea 1
  • DANIN, A. 1990. New records of four synanthropic plants found in southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 56
  • FRIEDRICH, H.C. 1979. Caryophyllaceae . In G. Hegi, Illustrierte Flora von Mitteleuropa , edn 2; 3,2
  • JUSSIEU, A.L. DE. 1789. Caryophylleae , les caryophyllées. Genera plantarum secundum ordines naturales disposita . Herissant & Barrois, Paris
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum . Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • LINNAEUS, C. 1754. Genera plantarum , edn 5. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
  • MEIKLE, R.D. 1977. Caryophyllaceae . Flora of Cyprus 1
  • PAX, F. 1889. Caryophyllaceae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien 3,1b
  • PAX, F. & HOFFMANN, K. 1934. Caryophyllaceae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien II,16c
  • ZOHARY, M. 1966. Caryophyllaceae . Flora Palaestina 1