e-Key <span id="jodit_selection_marker_1709019055858_7705762442917305" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>v3 - Cya<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1709019055858_8133030640154071" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>thula
SANBI Flora Keys Logo
Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Amaranthaceae - Amaranthoideae - Amarantheae - Aervinae - Cyathula Blume

Description:

  • Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes woody at base, sometimes decumbent
  • Leaves opposite, entire, petiolate, sessile or subsessile, usually pubescent
  • Inflorescences terminal on stem and branches, spiciform or capitate, bracteate, ultimate division basically a triad of 1 central bisexual fertile and 2 modified sterile flowers formed of uncinate, straight or glochidiate spines or bracteoliform processes; bracts ovate, usually aristate, accompanied by 2 bracteoles, persistent, finally ± deflexed; bracteoles and perianth, all or part, falling as a burr in fruit
  • Tepals 5, free, subequal, very shortly mucronate or some hooked-aristate, often pilose
  • Stamens 5, shortly monadelphous at base; filaments linear, alternating with fringed pseudostaminodes; anthers 2-thecous
  • Ovary obovoid; ovule solitary, suspended from an elongated, basal funicle; style slender; stigma capitate
  • Capsule thin-walled, indehiscent, closely held in perianth
  • Seed ovoid, slightly compressed; perisperm/ endosperm copious
  • x = 17 (7, 8) (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Cyathula Blume
    • Blume: 548 (1825) name conserved, not of Loureiro
    • Moquin-Tandon: 329 (1849)
    • Baker & Clarke: 42 (1909)
    • Cooke & Wright: 419 (1910)
    • Schinz: 221 (1921)
    • Schinz: 47 (1934)
    • Cavaco: 87 (1962)
    • Podlech: 15 (1966)
    • Townsend: 74 (1977)
    • Townsend: 55 (1985)
    • Townsend: 79 (1988)
    • Townsend: 152 (1993a)
    • Townsend: 84 (1993b)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species ± 25, tropics of both Old and New World; mostly Africa
  • Southern Africa: Species 6, widespread, but less so in the Cape region

References:

  • BAKER, J.G. & CLARKE, C.B. 1909. Amarantaceae. Flora of tropical Africa 6,1
  • BLUME, C.L. 1825. Amarantaceae. Bijdragen tot de flora van Nederlandsch lndië 2. Lands Drukkerij, Batavia
  • CAVACO, A. 1962. Les Amaranthaceae de l'Afrique au sud du Tropique du Cancer et de Madagascar. Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, Série B, Botanique 13
  • COOKE, T. & WRIGHT, C.H. 1910. Amarantaceae. Flora capensis 5,1
  • MOQUIN-TANDON, C.H.B.A. 1849. Amarantaceae. In A.P. de Candolle, Prodromus 13,2. Treuttel & Würtz, Paris
  • PODLECH, D. 1966. Amaranthaceae. Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 33
  • SCHINZ, H. 1921. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der afrikanischen Flora XXX. Vierteljahrsschrift der naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich 66
  • SCHINZ, H. 1934. Amaranthaceae. Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien, edn 2, 16c
  • TOWNSEND, C.C. 1977. Notes on Amaranthaceae 3. Publications from Cairo University Herbarium 7 & 8
  • TOWNSEND, C.C. 1985. Flora of tropical East Africa. Amaranthaceae
  • TOWNSEND, C.C. 1988. Amaranthaceae. Flora zambesiaca 9,1
  • TOWNSEND, C.C. 1993a. Amaranthaceae. Flora of Somalia 1
  • TOWNSEND, C.C. 1993b. Amaranthaceae. In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer & V. Bittrich, The families and genera of vascular plants - dicotyledons 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin

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.