Cleome L.

Capparidaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herbs or occasionally small shrubs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually petiolate, simple or digitately 3–9-foliolate; leaflets usually narrow, linear to lanceolate, entire or serrulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers ± zygomorphic, in terminal racemes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 4, usually free or almost so, usually narrow and often glandular or setulose-pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 4, sessile or clawed, equal or unequal.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 2 — many, all fertile or some sterile, usually borne on a small torus or receptacle; filaments equal or unequal and declinate, occasionally thickened at the apex; anthers 2-thecous, usually oblong or narrowly oblong.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary sessile or with a short gynophore, with many ovules on two parietal placentas; style short or absent; stigma capitate or truncate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit an oblong or linear capsule often borne on an elongated gynophore, with two valves separating from the seed-bearing placentas, often tipped with the persistent style; valves glabrous or pubescent, smooth or strongly longitudinally nerved.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds reniform, smooth or ridged transversely, radially or longitudinally, or reticulate-tuberculate, glabrous or pubescent.

Capparidaceae, J. Elffers, R. A. Graham And G. P. Dewolf. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1964

Morphology General Habit

Herbs, mainly annual in East Africa, sometimes bushy and woody below

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, petiolate, simple or digitately compound with 3–5–7–9 very shortly petiolulate leaflets

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence racemose; flowers pedicellate, subtended by foliaceous or membranous, persistent or caducous bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 4, free or shortly united at the base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 4, equal or unequal, often long-clawed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Androphore absent; stamens free; filaments equal or unequal, sometimes medially swollen; staminodes present or absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Gynophore present or absent; ovary 1- locular with many parietal ovules

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a siliquiform capsule with 2 dehiscing valves and a persistent replum

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds discoid or reniform, the ends incurving or one of them free; testa smooth, rugulose or ridged.

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

Morphology General Habit

Herbs, sometimes woody below

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, simple or digitately compound; stipules minute or rudimentary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in racemes, pedicellate, often zygomorphic. Sepals 4, free

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 4, equal or unequal, often long-clawed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 6–numerous, free, sometimes borne on an androgynophore

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary with many ovules; gynophore present or absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a ± linear capsule opening by two thin valves leaving the persistent placentas as a frame (replum)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds rounded-reniform, usually ornamented.

Distribution

Some 200 species in tropical and subtropical areas of both hemispheres.

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

Morphology General Habit

Bushy herb or subshrub

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, inconspicuous, minutely stipulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in racemes, small, regular, bisexual, with minute bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 4, soon falling

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 4, shortly clawed, soon falling

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 6, in one whorl, equal, soon falling

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 1-celled, soon becoming flattened and winged; ovules 2; style filiform, soon falling; gynophore absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a winged, 1-seeded nut.

Note

Genus of one species

Capparidaceae, J. Elffers, R. A. Graham And G. P. Dewolf. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1964

Morphology General Habit

Annual herbs or rarely perennial, rather shrubby

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, petiolate, 3–7-foliolate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a many-flowered terminal raceme with foliaceous bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 4, free

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 4, clawed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Androphore conspicuous, slender, elongating, with the 6 stamens practically verticillate at the apex; staminodes absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Gynophore present; ovary 1-locular with many parietal ovules

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule siliquiform with 2 dehiscing valves and a persistent replum

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds reniform with a rugulose testa.

Capparidaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb or rarely rather shrubby.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate, 3–7-foliolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of terminal many-flowered racemes with foliaceous bracts.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers zygomorphic, usually bisexual; sepals 4, free; petals 4, clawed, spathulate or oblong.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 6, free, inserted on a filiform androgynophore at the base of the gynophore; anthers basifixed, somewhat curved; gynophore short; ovary 1-locular, ovules many on two parietal placentas; style persistent, short; stigma capitate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule dehiscent with two valves and a persistent replum.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds numerous, reniform; testa reticulate or rugose.