Limeum viscosum (J.Gay) Fenzl

Aïzoaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1961

Morphology General Habit

A viscid glandular-hairy annual or short-lived perennial herb.

Morphology Stem

Stems weak, diffuse, more or less divaricate, suberect, procumbent or creeping, 2.5–45 cm. long.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, petiolate; blade viscid, linear-lanceolate, lanceolate, oblanceolate-spathulate, ovate or almost orbicular, 5–35 mm. long, 1.5–17 mm. broad, entire, retuse, rounded or obtuse, sometimes obscurely mucronulate at apex, more or less cuneate at base; petiole 1–10 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences apparently lateral, extra-axillary, glomerulate or fairly lax, pedunculate or sessile, 5–25-flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles 0–2.0 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, subherbaceous, unequal, broadly ovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes

Staminodes 0–5, evanescent, clawed with expanded limb, the limb broadly ovate, cuneate-truncate at base, equalling sepals or much shorter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5 or 7, inserted on hypogynous disc.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Mericarp 2–5 mm. diameter, 1-celled, 2-auricled, (auricles smooth), wingless, marked on outer (rounded) face with a network of ridges forming a honeycomb pattern, more or less prominently elevated into small projections at the angles; this pattern sometimes almost obsolete.

Figures

Fig. 2.

Molluginaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

Annual, diffuse or ascending, 1 ft. or more high.

Molluginaceae, M. L. Gonçalves. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

A viscid glandular-hairy annual or short-lived perennial herb up to 60 cm. tall, with diffuse, prostrate, procumbent to ascending stems.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, petiolate; laminas 5–63 × 2–4 mm., viscid, linear-lanceolate, lanceolate, oblanceolate-spathulate, ovate, obovate, broadly obovate or almost circular, entire, retuse, rounded or obtuse, sometimes mucronulate and more or less cuneate at base; petiole 2–8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence an extra-axillary, more or less compact, distinctly pedunculate or subsessile 5–25-flowered cyme.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers whitish, pedicellate, the pedicels up to 7 mm. long; bracteoles small, membranous, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth-segments 5, up to 3 mm. long, unequal, usually broadly ovate with whitish membranous edges.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes

Staminodes 5, evanescent, with long claw and expanded broadly ovate limb, cuneate-truncate at base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5 or 7; filaments with the base dilated, inserted on a hypogynous disk.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Mericarps 2–5 mm. in diameter, the surface with a network of ridges forming a honeycomb pattern, more or less prominently elevated into small projections at the angles and with 2 auricles at base.