Nicandra Adans.

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual ± glabrous herbs Annual ± glabrous herbs.

Morphology Branches

Branches ± angular and sulcate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicel slender, drooping, often pendulous in fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary ovoid, 3–5-locular with false dissepiments; ovules hemicampylotropous, numerous in each locule, on a much enlarged and unevenly lobulate placenta arising from near the central angle of two dissepiments.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style short or ± elongate, thickened, terete, glabrous or with a few short hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma ± capitate, with 3–5 prominent areas, included or occasionally subexserted

Note

A monotypic genus.

Morphology Stem

Stems hollow; branches ± angular and sulcate. Stems hollow.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, the upper ones sometimes in pairs with one leaf larger than the other, appearing opposite, petiolate, coarsely dentate-lobed to entire. Leaves alternate, the upper ones sometimes in pairs with one leaf larger than the other, appearing opposite, petiolate, coarsely dentate-lobed to entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary, axillary or extra-axillary, actinomorphic; pedicel slender, drooping, often pendulous in fruit. Flowers solitary, axillary or extra-axillary, actinomorphic.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx longer than the corolla tube, 5-parted, reduplicate-valvate, segments acute, cordate-sagittate at the base; fruiting calyx much enlarged, chartaceous. Calyx longer than the corolla tube, 5-parted, reduplicate-valvate, segments acute, cordate-sagittate at the base. Fruiting calyx much enlarged, chartaceous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla inserted at the base of the ovary and separated from the calyx by an unusually long internode, tinged blue to purple, ± broadly campanulate to rotate, occasionally infundibuliform; tube very short, hairy inside near the insertion of the stamens; limb subentire to shallowly 5-lobed, the lobes with quincuncial or somewhat conduplicate-contorted aestivation. Corolla inserted at the base of the ovary and separated from the calyx by an unusually long internode, tinged blue to purple, ± broadly campanulate to rotate, occasionally infundibuliform; tube very short, hairy inside near the insertion of the stamens; limb subentire to shallowly 5-lobed, the lobes with quincuncial or somewhat conduplicate-contorted aestivation

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens ± equal, usually inserted near the base of the corolla tube, included or occasionally subexserted; filaments widened and densely hairy at the base, geniculate where adhering to the corolla, overarching the ovary; anthers connivent, ovate, oblong-sagittate or oblong in outline, glabrous or with a few short hairs, basifixed, the thecae basally separated for more or less a quarter of their length, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Stamens ± equal, usually inserted near the base of the corolla tube, included or occasionally subexserted; filaments widened and densely hairy at the base, geniculate where adhering to the corolla, overarching the ovary; anthers connivent, ovate, oblong-sagittate or oblong in outline, glabrous or with a few short hairs, basifixed, the thecae basally separated for more or less a quarter of their length, dehiscing by longitudinal slits

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk none. Disk none

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary ovoid, 3–5-locular with false dissepiments; ovules hemicampylotropous, numerous in each locule, on a much enlarged and unevenly lobulate placenta arising from near the central angle of two dissepiments; style short or ± elongate, thickened, terete, glabrous or with a few short hairs; stigma ± capitate, with 3–5 prominent areas, included or occasionally subexserted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a many-seeded globose berry, shortly stipitate on the base of the calyx and enveloped by the thin-walled semi-translucent stiff accrescent calyx, 3–4-locular, with 5 concretions of seed-sized stone cells in the apical region of the mesocarp, irregularly dehiscent. Fruit a many-seeded globose berry, shortly stipitate on the base of the calyx and enveloped by the thin-walled semi-translucent stiff accrescent calyx, 3–4-locular, with 5 concretions of seed-sized stone cells in the apical region of the mesocarp, irregularly dehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds numerous, compressed, reniform-orbicular in outline; testa somewhat leathery, reticulate-pitted; embryo strongly curved, flattened; endosperm fleshy. Seeds numerous, compressed, reniform-orbicular in outline; testa somewhat leathery, reticulate-pitted; embryo strongly curved, flattened; endosperm fleshy