Nyctaginaceae

Commicarpus Standl.

First published in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 373 (1909)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropics & Subtropics.

Descriptions

Nyctaginaceae, Christopher Whitehouse. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs or subshrubs with slender, climbing or trailing stems, often woody towards the base
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, subequal, mostly ovate-cordate, entire or sinuate, often fleshy, with conspicuous petioles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences bisexual, in umbels or verticels, on moderately long pedicels, bracteate; perianth trumpet-shaped, 5-lobed; stamens 2–6, exserted; filaments united at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary stipitate; style filiform, exserted; stigma capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarp cylindric-fusiform to clavate, rather obscurely 10-ribbed, with numerous, rather large, mucilaginous glands scattered over its surface; embryo hooked.
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs, shrublets or subshrubs, sometimes scandent
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, leathery or ± succulent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flowers in axillary or terminal umbels or whorls that are sometimes combined into terminal panicles; bracts small, lanceolate, usually soon falling
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth-limb trumpet- or funnel-shaped, very delicate, white, pink, magenta or purple
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2–6, unequal, exserted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarp fusiform or clavate, obscurely 10-ribbed/grooved, glabrous, with 1–several whorls of large, dark, very sticky gland-warts, those near the apex sometimes stalked.
Distribution
About 36 species found throughout the tropics, but with the main concentration of species in NE Africa.
Note
The genus is sometimes included in Boerhavia, but is easily distinguished and generally considered distinct.
[FSOM]

Nyctaginaceae, B. L. Stannard. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs or subshrubs.
Morphology Stem
Stems long, slender, erect, reclining or climbing, often much branched.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite in (sub) equal pairs, petiolate, often fleshy, usually entire or repand, rhaphides often visible on inferior surface in dried state.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences umbellate, verticillate, irregularly branched or mixed, pedunculate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers small, fugacious, hermaphrodite, usually pedicellate; each pedicel bracteate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth often with rhaphides clearly visible over surface, lower portion constricted above ovary with glands over surface often particularly around apex, greenish, persistent, upper portion petaloid, coloured, infundibuliform, shallowly lobed, sometimes with distinct basal tube, caducous after anthesis.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2–5 (6), exserted; filaments filiform, often unequal, connate into short sheath at the base; anthers dithecous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary usually ellipsoid, often stipitate, 1-ovulate; style filiform, exserted; stigma capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Anthocarps cylindrical, fusiform, clavate or turbinate, more or less 10-sulcate, with variously arranged, large, viscid, sessile or stipitate glands.
[FZ]

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

  • 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.

  • 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

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/