Maerua Forssk.

First published in Fl. Aegypt.-Arab.: 104 (1775)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Africa, Sinai to Indo-China.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or small trees
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate or clustered, simple or digitately (1–)3-foliolate; stipules small, sometimes persistent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flowers regular, single or few clustered in upper leaf axils, or in terminal or lateral often corymbose racemes or panicles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Receptacle shortly campanulate to narrowly cylindrical, rarely shallow and disc-shaped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 3 or 4
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals (3–)4 or absent, subequal, soon falling
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 6 to numerous, free, borne on an androgynophore
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary globose to narrowly cylindrical, with 4 to many ovules; gynophore long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, ellipsoid or cylindrical, sometimes torulose, glabrous or hairy.
Distribution
Genus of some 70 species in the Old World, the majority in Africa.
Ecology
Drier areas
[FSOM]

Capparidaceae, J. Elffers, R. A. Graham And G. P. Dewolf. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1964

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs, sometimes dwarf, scramblers or more rarely small trees
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate or clustered on abbreviated lateral shoots, sessile or petiolate, simple or 1–3-foliolate; petiolules if present very short
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules subulate, woody or herbaceous, persistent or evanescent, not spiny
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a terminal or lateral often corymbose raceme, a short terminal panicle or the flowers 1–4 in the axils of the upper leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 3 or 4; receptacle narrowly cylindrical to shortly campanulate, the inner margin often produced into a disk with a free apical rim, sometimes very short and entire, sometimes as much as 2 mm. long and laciniate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals (3–)4 or 0, subequal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Androphore subequal to or exceeding the receptacle, without an appendage; stamens free, few to very many
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Gynophore present, long; ovary spheroid to narrowly cylindrical, 1–2- locular; ovules 4 to many; stigma capitate, but of very variable shape and often rather flattened
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits spheroid, ovoid, ellipsoid or cylindrical, sometimes up to about 20 cm. long, torulose or not, glabrous to densely pubescent.
[FTEA]

Capparidaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit
Shrublets, shrubs, small trees or climbers without spines.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate or crowded on abbreviated side shoots, simple or 3 (5)-foliolate, sessile or petiolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary or fasciculate in the leaf axils or in terminal or axillary racemes or panicles. Flowers bisexual.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals (3) 4; receptacle cylindric or funnel-shaped, its inner margin often produced into a disc with an entire, undulate, dentate or fimbriate margin.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 0 or (3) 4 (8), inserted at the mouth of the receptacle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androgynophore
Androgynophore equalling or exceeding the receptacle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens usually indefinite and exserted; anthers basifixed and with longitudinal dehiscence.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary borne on an elongated gynophore; ovary globose, ovoid, ellipsoid or cylindric with 1–2 loculi, ovules 4 — ?; stigma sessile or nearly so.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, ovoid, ellipsoid, oblong-ellipsoid or cylindric, sometimes torulose, smooth or verrucose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds subglobose or oblong-ellipsoid, smooth or rugose.
[FZ]

Capparidaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit
Small shrubs or occasionally perennial herbs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves simple, entire, glaucous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers borne singly in the leaf axils.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 3, rarely 2 or 4, valvate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 0.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk with a short, toothed, free margin, adnate to the mouth of the receptacle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens numerous, borne on a columnar androgynophore equalling or exceeding the receptacle; filaments free; anthers ovoid or oblong, apiculate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary fusiform, on a long gynophore, 2-locular (or rarely 3-locular) by fusion of the placentas; ovules 2 on each placenta, parietal or inserted on the spurious dissepiment.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, coriaceous, indehiscent, slightly fleshy inside, 1–4-seeded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds large, without endosperm, cotyledons very thick; radicle deeply included.
[FZ]

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

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
  • 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
  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images