Caryophyllaceae
Polycarpaea

Polycarpaea eriantha Hochst. ex A.Rich.

First published in Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 303 (1848)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical Africa to Namibia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Caryophyllaceae, W. B. Turrill. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1956

Morphology General Habit
An annual herb, branched from the base, 3–19 cm. tall, internodes covered with a woolly indumentum of more or less curled hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or whorled; basal leaves (most often absent in the flowering specimens examined) spathulate, 1–1.5 cm. long, 3–4 mm. broad; cauline leaves linear, acute and then terminating in a hair-like appendage 1 mm. long and more or less caducous, 5–18 mm. long, 0.5–1 mm. broad, 1-nerved, with a woolly indumentum when young, becoming glabrous with age.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal, of many-flowered cymes somewhat varying in density but single pedicelled flowers present between the main branches.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers silvery white to pink or reddish.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals lanceolate, acuminate, 2–2.25 mm. long, with white more or less curled hairs on the abaxial surface or glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals about half the length of the sepals, slightly emarginate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens very small, apparently often reduced to 2 or 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary with 3 ovules; style 0.25 mm. long or even less.
Figures
Fig. 3.
[FTEA]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Caryophyllaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit
Bushy annual herb up to 19 cm. tall, branching from the base; internodes with a rather woolly indumentum of whitish hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or whorled, sessile; basal leaves 1–1·5 × 0·3–0·4 cm. (absent from older plants), spathulate; cauline leaves 5–18 × 0·5–1 mm., linear, acute and terminating in a hair-like, somewhat caducous appendage c. 1 mm. long, with a woolly whitish indumentum when young, glabrescent later, 1-nerved; stipules whitish, 3–4 mm. long, scarious, lanceolate-acuminate, with one or more long hairs at the apex, margin ciliate in the upper half.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence of many-flowered, loose or somewhat compact, terminal, dichotomous cymes with a single pedicellate flower between the main branches; bracts whitish, c. 3 mm. long, scarious, lanceolate-acuminate, bifid, margins ciliate, usually hirsute on the back; pedicels 1·5–9 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 1·5–2 × 0·7 mm., scarious, silvery pink or whitish, lanceolate-acuminate, with somewhat curly hairs outside or glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals c. 0·6 mm. long, elliptic, apex emarginate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5 or more often reduced to 2, c. 1/2 the length of the petals.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary ellipsoid, 3-ovulate, with a very short style c. 0·15 mm. long and 3 spreading stigmatic arms.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule c. 1 × 0·5 mm., ellipsoid; valves brownish with paler margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds brown, 0·4 × 0·3 mm., subreniform; testa lightly tessellated.
[FZ]

Caryophyllaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit
Much-branched annual, up to 9 in. high, often much less
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals reddish.
[FWTA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • 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

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • 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