Amaranthaceae

Centemopsis Schinz

First published in Vierteljahrsschr. Naturf. Ges. Zürich 56: 242 (1911)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical & S. Africa.

Descriptions

Amaranthaceae, C. C. Townsend. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology General Habit
Annual or (? short-lived) perennial herbs with entire, opposite leaves.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence terminal on the stem and branches, spiciform, capitate or fastigiate, bracteate, flowers solitary or paired in the axils of each bract.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Modified sterile flowers absent, all flowers hermaphrodite and bibracteolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracts persistent, finally weakly deflexed or deflexed-ascending, bracteoles and perianth falling with the fruit.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth segments 5, very shortly mucronate with the excurrent midrib, usually considerably indurate at the base in fruit.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens 5, the filaments delicate, shortly monadelphous at the base, alternating with distinct quadrate or oblong, fimbriate pseudostaminodes; anthers bilocular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style slender, stigma capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with a single pendulous ovule, glabrous below with a dense ring of hairs centrally and more thinly pilose above, or entirely glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a thin-walled capsule, irregularly ruptured by the developing seed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed compressed-reniform; endosperm copious.
[FZ]

Amaranthaceae, C.C. Townsend. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1985

Morphology General Habit
Annual or (? short-lived) perennial herbs with entire opposite leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence terminal on the stem and branches, spiciform, capitate or fastigiate, bracteate, flowers solitary or paired in the axils of the bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
All flowers hermaphrodite and bibracteolate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts persistent, finally weakly deflexed or deflexed-ascending; bracteoles and perianth falling with the fruit
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth-segments 5, very shortly mucronate with the excurrent nerve, considerably indurate at the base in fruit
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5, the filaments delicate, shortly monadelphous at the base, alternating with distinct, quadrate or oblong, fimbriate pseudostaminodes; anthers bilocular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary with a single pendulous ovule, glabrous below with a dense ring of hairs centrally and more thinly pilose above, or entirely glabrous; style slender; stigma capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a thin-walled capsule, irregularly ruptured by the developing seed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed compressed-subreniform; endosperm copious.
[FTEA]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs with opposite, entire leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal on stem and branches, spiciform or (not in Somalia) capitate or fastigiate, bracteate with flowers solitary or paired in the axil of each bract; flowers all fertile, bisexual
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals 5, usually indurate at the base in fruit
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5, delicate, alternating with denticulate to fimbriate pseudostaminodes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style slender, stigma capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 1-ovulate, ovoid, variably pilose to glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a thin-walled capsule, enclosed by and falling with the persistent perianth and bracteoles.
Distribution
50 species, all in tropical Africa.
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0