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

Malvaceae - Malveae - *Modiola Moench

Description :

  • Low, diffuse annual or biennial herbs
  • Leaves simple, rounded, coarsely crenate to deeply palmately lobed; stipules persistent
  • Flowers axillary, solitary, small
  • Epicalyx of 3 free, ± persistent bracts
  • Calyx ± deeply 5-fid; somewhat accrescent
  • Petals longer than calyx, red or rose
  • Staminal tube divided at apex into many filaments, dilated towards base
  • Gynoecium of 15-20, mostly 2-ovuled carpels; style branches as many as carpels, filiform; stigmas capitate
  • Fruit a schizocarp of 15-20, usually 2-seeded, 2-awned, partly loculicidal mericarps, transversally septate between seeds
  • Seeds reniform
  • x = 7, 9 (1 report each)

Nomenclature:

  • *Modiola Moench
    • Moench: 619 (1794)
    • Schumann: 38 (1890)
    • Burtt Davy: 274 (1932)
    • Adamson: 581 (1950)
    • Krapovickas: 185 (1965)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 1: * Modiola caroliniana (L.) G.Don, tropical America
  • Southern Africa : Naturalised, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State, Western and Eastern Cape
    • Burtt Davy (1932) reported that he introduced this species in 1903 as a pasture plant
    • Schumann (1890), however, already recorded the species for South Africa

References:

  • ADAMSON, R.S. 1950. Malvaceae Juss. In R.S. Adamson & T.M. Salter, Flora of the Cape Peninsula . Juta, Cape Town
  • BURTT DAVY, J. 1932. A manual of the flowering plants and ferns of the Transvaal with Swaziland, South Africa . Longmans, London
  • KRAPOVICKAS, A. 1965. Malvaceae . Flora de la Provincia de Buenos Aires 4
  • MOENCH, C. 1794. Modiola . Methodus . Nova libraria academiae, Marburg
  • SCHUMANN, K. 1890. Malvaceae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien 3, 6