Hypoxidaceae

Curculigo Gaertn.

First published in Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 63 (1788)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropics & Subtropics.

Descriptions

Hypoxidaceae, J. Wiland-Szymańska, I. Nordal. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2006

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes
Rhizome elongated and vertical, often branched, with fleshy roots
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ± pseudopetiolate with sheathing leaf bases; lamina plicate and sparsely pilose
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Scape
Scapes short, most often completely enveloped by cataphylls
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers subsessile, most often single, sometimes few in a ± umbellate inflorescence, supported by leafy involucral bracts; perianth segments free, patent, yellow; filaments filiform or subulate, attached in the sinuses between anther theca; anthers sagittate with latrorse opening
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary trilocular, surrounded by bracts and old leaf remnants, often subterranean, separated from the perianth by a conspicuous beak
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit indehiscent, more or less succulent at maturity, crowned with the persistent ovary beak
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds with a conspicuous, swollen and hooked funiculus.
[FTEA]

Hypoxidaceae, I. Nordal & C. Zimudzi. Flora Zambesiaca 12:3. 2001

Morphology General Habit
Herbaceous geophytes, acaulescent; rhizome vertical, sometimes branched, surmounted by a ± dense coat of fibrous leaf remnants and bearing scattered contractile roots.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves sessile, linear-elliptic or lanceolate, ± plicate, becoming pseudopetiolate, sheathing at the base, glabrous or sparsely thinly pilose on the margins and nervation, outer leaves reduced and somewhat cataphyll-like, sheathing at the base with broad hyaline margins, new leaves arising successively from within the bases of the older leaves which eventually disintegrate into fibrous remnants; indumentum of 2-armed hairs or 3–12-unequally armed (stellate) hairs, whitish or brown; new leaves produced successively within older leaf bases.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences 1–many, arising continuously throughout the season, borne near the base of the plant.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 1–many, subsessile on the rhizome or spicately arranged on a short scape; ovary borne amongst the leaf bases or enveloped by subtending bracts; lower part of perianth fused into an elongated narrow tube (perianth tube) bearing the perianth segments, stigma and anthers well above the ovary; perianth segments spreading, acute to obtuse, yellow adaxially and sparsely pilose beneath; anthers sagittate, latrorse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit indehiscent, crowned by the persistent perianth tube and enclosed within the old leaf base remnants or subtending bract.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds ellipsoid, black and glossy, strophiolate, sometimes striate, the testa smooth.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • 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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. 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 2024. 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