Orobanchaceae

Alectra Thunb.

First published in Nov. Gen. Pl. 4: 81 (1784)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical & S. Africa, Madagascar, Tropical & Subtropical Asia.

Descriptions

Scrophulariaceae, D. Philcox. Flora Zambesiaca 8:2. 1990

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs, usually erect, simple or branched, usually hispid, root parasites, turning black when dry.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or alternate, sessile or shortly petiolate, of ten very small, scale-like, entire or toothed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary in axils of upper leaves or leaflike bracts, sessile or shortly pedicellate, yellow to orange with brown to reddish-purple veins, bibracteolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed, 10-nerved, calyx not enlarging in fruit; lobes subequal, usually subequalling tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla thin, early marcescent, persistent in calyx, surrounding capsule, narrowly campanulate, slightly oblique, longer than calyx; lobes rounded, spreading to slightly recurved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Filaments all bearded, or only the two larger ones bearded or all glabrous, bearding may be overall or in lower half or upper half or just below anthers. Stamens 4, didynamous, at times subequal, attached towards base of corolla tube, included.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers coherent or connivent in pairs, thecae equal or unequal, apiculate or not.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary glabrous; style clavate above middle, recurved, included with stamens in persistent corolla.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule globose to broadly ovoid, included, loculicidal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds very numerous, linear or clavate, straight or curved, slender, truncate.
[FZ]

Scrophulariaceae, S.A. Ghazanfar, F.N. Hepper & D. Philcox. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2008

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs, with a depleted root system, parasitic on roots of grasses and other herbs; plants turning black on drying.
Morphology Stem
Stems simple or branched
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, subopposite or alternate, reduced to scales in some species, sessile or shortly petiolate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence spicate; flowers solitary in axils of upper leaves or leaf-like bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed, 5–10-veined
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla campanulate, slightly longer than the calyx, longitudinally veined, soon withering, persistent in calyx adhering to ovary and remaining over the capsule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted below the middle of the corolla, included; filaments all bearded or only the two longer bearded, or all glabrous; anthers coherent or connivent in pairs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary glabrous; style curved, clavate in the upper half
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule loculicidal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds numerous, linear or clavate.
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Herbs, simple or branched, hispid or scabrid, usually root parasites, leafless or with leaves generally small
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or alternate above, sessile or subsessile, often scale-like, entire or toothed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence with flowers solitary in axils of ± leaf-like bracts, sessile or subsessile; bracteoles 2
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed, 10-nerved; lobes nearly equal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla narrowly campanulate, longer than calyx, persistent; lobes rounded
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, 2 long and 2 short or sometimes subequal, attached near base of corolla-tube, included; filaments bearded or glabrous; anthers coherent or connivent in pairs, equal or unequal, apiculate or not
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary glabrous; style clavate, recurved, included
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule globose to ovoid, included, loculicidal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds numerous, linear or club-shaped, straight or curved, slender, truncate.
Distribution
Genus of some 33 species in Africa (also Madagascar), Asia and America.
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/