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

Molluginaceae - Polpoda C.Presl

Description :

  • Small subshrubs
  • Leaves alternate, oblong-linear or ovate, ericoid, acute or mucronate, densely imbricate on branches; stipules large, membranous, fimbriate, adnate to base
  • Flowers in 1-few-flowered axillary cymes along stem, small, sessile, closely surrounded by appressed stipules
  • Sepals 4(5), hyaline, fimbriate, white
  • Petals 0
  • Stamens 4(5); filaments far exserted
  • Ovary 2-locular; ovules 1 per locule; styles 2
  • Fruit a membranous, compressed, loculicidal capsule

Nomenclature:

  • Polpoda C.Presl
    • Presl: 1 (1829)
    • Presl: t. 1 (1830)
    • Sonder: 148 (1860)
    • Phillips: 283 (1951)
    • Adamson: 93 (1955)
    • Endress & Bittrich: 425 (1993)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Southern Africa : Species 2, endemic: Polpoda capensis C.Presl and P. stipulacea (F.M.Leight.) Adamson, Western Cape

References:

  • ADAMSON, R.S. 1955. The South African species of Aizoaceae . I. Adenogramma and Polpoda . Journal of South African Botany 21
  • ENDRESS, M.E. & BITTRICH, V. 1993. Molluginaceae . In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich, The families and genera of vascular plants - dicotyledons 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
  • PHILLIPS, E.P. 1951. The genera of South African flowering plants, edn 2. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 25
  • PRESL, C. (K.B.) 1829. Polpoda, novum plantarum genus . Prague
  • PRESL, K.B. 1830. Polpoda and Steudelia . Symbolae botanicae 1,1. Spurny, Prague
  • SONDER, O.W. 1860. Caryophylleae . Flora capensis 1