Dysphania R.Br.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2016) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 1: Elatinaceae to Sphenocleaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Annual, subshrubs or shrubs covered with yellow subsessile glands (strongly aromatic) that are intermixed with simple and sometimes glandular hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, petiolate, entire, dentate or pinnate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Cymes often reduced to 1 flower Inflorescence lax, much branched, or dense and spike-like

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual-Perianth of 2–5 free or diversely connate segments, often keeled or cristate at the midrib

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 2–5

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stylodia 2, free or connate at base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits almost spheroidal, with length/thickness as 1.2–1.3:1, rarely ovoid and compressed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Pericarp very thin (as a rule 3–15 µm), 1–2-layered, hyaline, scraped off the seed, often with papillae or glandular hairs at its surface, sometimes the surface smooth, with reticulate or undulate sculpture

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed coat 5–25 µm, smooth or undulate, outer seedcoat layer (testa) without stalactites

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Embryo

Embryo horizontal or vertical-In some groups spatial heterospermy is evolved.

Etymology

Dysphania, from Gr. δυσ, dys, bad and φραίνομαι, frainomai, appear (due to the smell of plants).

Distribution

About 50 species distributed worldwide but predominantly in the tropics and subtropics; one species,