Priva Adans.

Verbenaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1992

Morphology General Habit

Erect or ascending mostly almost subscabrid pubescent perennial herbs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite or subopposite, simple, mostly ± toothed, sessile or petiolate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences raceme-like or subspicate, terminal or axillary; bracts small; flowers ± small, arranged in a spirally alternate or pseudo-secund manner on the mostly elongate rhachis

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tubular, 5-ribbed, with 4–5 mostly short equal or subequal teeth, persistent, enlarging and covering the fruit, usually contracted and ± beaked at the mouth

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or coloured, ± irregular, funnel-shaped or hypocrateriform; tube cylindric, straight or slightly curved, widened at the throat; limb ± 2-lipped, with 5 unequal lobes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted near the middle of the tube, included; a minute staminode is sometimes present also

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 2(–4)-locular, with each locule 1–2-ovuled; style terminal, filiform, 2-lobed at apex with a longer curved or erect stigmatiferous lobe and a very minute tooth-like lobe; ovules basal, erect, anatropous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit eventually splitting into 2 1–2-locular subglobose cocci; pericarp hard, the dorsal surface echinate, scrobiculate or ridged, the inner excavated, flat or concave

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds without endosperm.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herbs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly toothed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers in terminal or axillary racemes or spikes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tubular, 5-ribbed, 4–5-toothed, persistent and covering the fruit, usually contracted and ± beaked above

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-tube cylindric, widened at the throat; limb ± 2-lipped with 5 unequal lobes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, inserted near the middle of the tube, included

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2(–4)-celled, each cell with 1 or 2 basal ovules; style filiform; stigma unequally 2-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit finally splitting into 2 normally 2-celled and 2-seeded nutlets; fruit-wall hard, spiny, tuberculate or ridged on the back.

Distribution

Some 20 species in tropical and subtropical Asia, Africa and America.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol 8, Pt 7. Avicenniaceae, R. Fernandes. Nesogenaceae, M.A. Diniz. Verbenaceae, R. Fernandes. Lamiaceae, R. Fernandes. 2005.

Morphology General

Perennial herbs with woody rootstocks, rarely with tuberous roots

Morphology Stem

Stem and branches 4-angled Stem and branches 4-angled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2-carpellate, each carpel 2-locular, each locule 1-ovulate; ovules anatropous, erect, attached laterally at or near the base; style terminal, filiform, subequalling the lower stamens, 2-lobed at the apex with a short, stigmatic anterior lobe and an acute horny sterile posterior tooth

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a schizocarp included within a persistent inflated calyx, separating at maturity into 2 bilocular mericarps (or mericarps 1-locular by abortion); mericarps with a dry and hard pericarp, linear or oblong, flat concave or deeply excavate on the commissural face, raised-reticulate or ribbed on the lateral faces, echinate or ridged on the dorsal face rarely smooth, glabrous, puberulous or shortly pubescent Fruit a schizocarp included within a persistent inflated calyx, separating at maturity into 2 bilocular mericarps (or mericarps 1-locular by abortion); mericarps with a dry and hard pericarp, linear or oblong, flat concave or deeply excavate on the commissural face, raised-reticulate or ribbed on the lateral faces, echinate or ridged on the dorsal face rarely smooth, glabrous, puberulous or shortly pubescent.

Distribution

A genus of about 20 species in tropical and subtropical America (Florida and Texas to Paraguay and West Indies), Asia (Arabia, India, Sri Lanka, etc.) and Africa.   The c. 10 species occurring in Africa all belong to sect. Priva .

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herbs with woody rootstocks, rarely with tuberous roots.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite or subopposite, usually decussate, simple, petiolate or sessile, crenate-serrate or serrate, sometimes laciniate or lobed at the base. Leaves opposite or subopposite, usually decussate, simple, petiolate or sessile, crenate-serrate or serrate, sometimes laciniate or lobed at the base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences usually of terminal or axillary spike-like racemes; bracts small. Inflorescences usually of terminal or axillary spike-like racemes; bracts small

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, shortly pedicellate, spirally alternate or pseudo-secund on the mostly elongate rhachis, each solitary in the axil of a narrow bract. Flowers small, shortly pedicellate, spirally alternate or pseudo-secund on the mostly elongate rhachis, each solitary in the axil of a narrow bract

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tubular, 5-ribbed and slightly 5-plicate at anthesis, shortly and subequally 5-dentate or subtruncate and 5-denticulate at the apex, membranous, usually covered with hooked hairs intermixed with setae, becoming inflated about the fruit and ± narrowed and beaked at the mouth. Calyx tubular, 5-ribbed and slightly 5-plicate at anthesis, shortly and subequally 5-dentate or subtruncate and 5-denticulate at the apex, membranous, usually covered with hooked hairs intermixed with setae, becoming inflated about the fruit and ± narrowed and beaked at the mouth

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla hypocrateriform or funnel-shaped, usually white or sometimes blue, rose, red or purple; tube longer than the calyx, cylindric, straight or slightly curved, widened at the throat; limb oblique, c. 2-lipped, with the abaxial lip 3-lobed and the adaxial lip 2-lobed. Corolla hypocrateriform or funnel-shaped, usually white or sometimes blue, rose, red or purple; tube longer than the calyx, cylindric, straight or slightly curved, widened at the throat; limb oblique, c. 2-lipped, with the abaxial lip 3-lobed and the adaxial lip 2-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, included; filaments inserted about or above the middle of the corolla tube; anthers ovate or oblong, dorsifixed. Stamens 4, included; filaments inserted about or above the middle of the corolla tube; anthers ovate or oblong, dorsifixed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 2-carpellate, each carpel 2-locular, each locule 1-ovulate; ovules anatropous, erect, attached laterally at or near the base; style terminal, filiform, subequalling the lower stamens, 2-lobed at the apex with a short, stigmatic anterior lobe and an acute horny sterile posterior tooth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds without endosperm; cotyledons oblong, somewhat thick. Seeds without endosperm; cotyledons oblong, somewhat thick.