Hexastylis

Hexastylis arifolia

Hexastylis is a genus of the family of Osterluzeigewächse ( Aristolochiaceae ).

Description

Hexastylis species are evergreen, perennial, herbaceous plants. You have no rhizomes and aerial shoots. The leaves are alternate and zweirankig. Stipules absent. Both stalked leaves and seated shed leaves are present. The leaf blade is glabrous and membranous or leathery. The inflorescences arise terminally rhizomes. The flowers are borne singly. Opposite them is in each case a triangular bract. The sepals are fused together over most of its length. Their color is usually a mixture of brown, purple or yellow. Outside and inside are smooth. The sepals have a weak to strong extensive network of rails. The calyx tube is never a delimited fruit hose. There are no, not even rudimentary petals present. The 12 stamens are non- grow. The stamens are shorter than the pollen sacs. Terminal appendage of anthers are absent or rudimentary pronounced. The ovary is sechskammerig and upper constant or medium ever part. The 6 pens are non- growing, rare but they can grow together at the base. The fruit is a fleshy capsule. The seeds are ovoid, not winged and have fleshy appendages.

The chromosome number is x = 13

Occurrence

The genus Hexastylis occurs in North America.

System

Hexastylis was first described in 1825 by Constantine S. Rafinesque - Schmaltz. It includes 10 species:

• Hexastylis arifolia
• Hexastylis contracta
• Hexastylis heterophylla
• Hexastylis lewisii
• Hexastylis minor
• Hexastylis naniflora
• Hexastylis rhombiformis
• Hexastylis shuttleworthii
• Hexastylis speciosa
• Hexastylis virginica

Documents

• Alan T. Whittemore, L.L. Gaddy: Hexastylis. In: Flora of North America. Vol 3 online