Zosima Hoffm.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herbs with stout taproots

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pinnate or pinnately decomposite

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Umbels usually polygamous with the inner flowers of partial umbels male

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts of the involucre and involucel numerous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers white or greenish

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals obovate, emarginate above with an inflexed acumen

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx teeth obsolete

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit roundish, strongly dorsally plano compressed; mericarps slightly convex, intermediate ribs filiform and very slender, remote from the laterals, which are thick and closely contiguous, forming a tumid border to the fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Vittae

Vittae solitary in valleculae, dark and conspicuous, commissure bivittate, rarely more present

Disc

Disk small, depressed, crenulate-margined

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stylopodium

Stylopodia very small

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Carpophore

Carpophore bipartite

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Endosperm

Endosperm with the commissural face flat.

Distribution

Ten species in W Asia; a single species in Iraq.

Note

Zosima (explained by Hoffmann as dedicated to the three classicist Zosima brothers Anastasii, Nikolai and Zoi, an oblique reference to the triple relationship of the genus with Pastinaca, Tordylium and Heracleum).