Nicotiana L.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 8, Part 4. Solanaceae. Gonçalves AE. 2005

Morphology General Habit

Herbs or shrubs to small trees, with varied indumentum, often viscid-glandular, rarely glabrous Herbs or shrubs to small trees, with varied indumentum, often viscid-glandular, rarely glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves solitary, alternate, the lower ones sometimes in a sparse rosette, petiolate or sessile, entire to sinuate, strongly aromatic; minor leaves often present as auricles or cauline stipule-like processes Leaves solitary, alternate, the lower ones sometimes in a sparse rosette, petiolate or sessile, entire to sinuate, strongly aromatic; minor leaves often present as auricles or cauline stipule-like processes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Cymes few–many-flowered, terminal, paniculiform with distinct central axis, sometimes unilateral, pseudoracemiform, bracteate or ebracteate, rarely reduced to one flower; pedicels bracteolate or not, articulated at the base or not Cymes few–many-flowered, terminal, paniculiform with distinct central axis, sometimes unilateral, pseudoracemiform, bracteate or ebracteate, rarely reduced to one flower; pedicels bracteolate or not, articulated at the base or not.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers actinomorphic or somewhat zygomorphic, fragrant or scentless at dusk Flowers actinomorphic or somewhat zygomorphic, fragrant or scentless at dusk.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx commonly much shorter than the corolla tube, ovoid to tubular, sometimes campanulate or cupular, 5-lobed, the lobes shorter than the tube, with valvate aestivation; in fruit usually somewhat enlarged, enclosing it or not Calyx commonly much shorter than the corolla tube, ovoid to tubular, sometimes campanulate or cupular, 5-lobed, the lobes shorter than the tube, with valvate aestivation; in fruit usually somewhat enlarged, enclosing it or not.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or variously coloured, greenish, yellow, pink, red or purplish, tubular, infundibuliform or salviform, sometimes campanulate; tubular part often flared into a wider throat; limb shorter than the tube, plicate, erect, spreading or recurving, 5-cleft to ± entire, the lobes with contorted-plicate or rarely imbricate aestivation Corolla white or variously coloured, greenish, yellow, pink, red or purplish, tubular, infundibuliform or salviform, sometimes campanulate; tubular part often flared into a wider throat; limb shorter than the tube, plicate, erect, spreading or recurving, 5-cleft to ± entire, the lobes with contorted-plicate or rarely imbricate aestivation.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5, ± equal or unequal, sometimes one shorter than the other 4, variously inserted at the same or sometimes different heights in the corolla tube, commonly in the basal half, included or elsewhere sometimes exserted; filaments subulate, often from a flat expanded base, often pubescent, sometimes geniculate where adhering to the corolla; anthers attached on the lower part of the back or at the base between the thecae, very shortly ovate to elliptic in outline, the thecae separated from each other by one third to even half their length, dehiscing by longitudinal slits Stamens 5, ± equal or unequal, sometimes one shorter than the other 4, variously inserted at the same or sometimes different heights in the corolla tube, commonly in the basal half, included or elsewhere sometimes exserted; filaments subulate, often from a flat expanded base, often pubescent, sometimes geniculate where adhering to the corolla; anthers attached on the lower part of the back or at the base between the thecae, very shortly ovate to elliptic in outline, the thecae separated from each other by one third to even half their length, dehiscing by longitudinal slits.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk thick, annular, deeply lobed to almost truncate, adnate or joined to the basal part of the ovary, to thin and ± inconspicuous Disk thick, annular, deeply lobed to almost truncate, adnate or joined to the basal part of the ovary, to thin and ± inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary sessile, ovoid or ± conical, 2(or rarely 4 to many)-locular; ovules numerous in each locule on somewhat proliferated placentas, adnate to the dorsal line of the dissepiment(s), anatropous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style slender.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma minute to dilated, capitate, saucer-shaped, slightly grooved or obscurely 2-lobed at the tip, included or sometimes exserted but rarely so in the Flora Zambesiaca area

Distribution

A genus of about 67 species widely distributed in warm temperate regions of both hemispheres, mostly centred in America, mainly in Andean South America and Mexico, with several species in Australia and South Pacific Islands, and one (Nicotiana africana Me

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary sessile, ovoid or ± conical, 2(or rarely 4 to many)-locular; ovules numerous in each locule on somewhat proliferated placentas, adnate to the dorsal line of the dissepiment(s), anatropous; style slender; stigma minute to dilated, capitate, saucer-shaped, slightly grooved or obscurely 2-lobed at the tip, included or sometimes exserted but rarely so in the Flora Zambesiaca area.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit capsular, membranous to slightly woody, 2(or rarely 4)-locular, retaining the loose placentas, apically dehiscent by 2 rather long, septicidal slits, the 2 dry valves often 2-fid (or sometimes the capsule 4–many-valved). Fruit capsular, membranous to slightly woody, 2(or rarely 4)-locular, retaining the loose placentas, apically dehiscent by 2 rather long, septicidal slits, the 2 dry valves often 2-fid (or sometimes the capsule 4–many-valved)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds numerous, small or minute, scarcely compressed, globose to ellipsoid, sometimes oblong, ± prismatic or subreniform; testa somewhat leathery, honeycombed- or fluted-reticulate, sometimes obscurely wrinkled-reticulate or -pitted; embryo subterete, ± straight or slightly curved (or elsewhere rarely arcuate) in the axis of the endosperm; cotyledons short, usually one-third to one-quarter the embryo, semi-terete or subclavate. Seeds numerous, small or minute, scarcely compressed, globose to ellipsoid, sometimes oblong, ± prismatic or subreniform; testa somewhat leathery, honeycombed- or fluted-reticulate, sometimes obscurely wrinkled-reticulate or -pitted; embryo subterete, ± straight or slightly curved (or elsewhere rarely arcuate) in the axis of the endosperm; cotyledons short, usually one-third to one-quarter the embryo, semi-terete or subclavate