Malesherbia

Habit and flowering of Malesherbia linearifolia.

The Malesherbia is the only plant genus of the subfamily of Malesherbioideae in the family of the passion flower plants ( Passifloraceae ) within the order of Malpighienartigen ( Malpighiales ).

Description

The xerophytic genus Malesherbia includes more or less herbaceous plants, some slightly woody. Malesherbia species have an unpleasant smell and are hairy glandular. The mostly alternate, sessile leaves are lobed predominantly deep and often have a smooth edge, sometimes it is perforated. Flowering plants are often naked axes. Stipules are sometimes present, but usually they are missing.

The flowers are usually solitary or sometimes together very differently constructed inflorescences. The radial symmetry flowers are hermaphroditic and most fünfzählig. The five sepals and petals are fused into a tube. It's just a circle with five stamens present. Three to four carpels are fused to a syncarp, superior ovaries. Stamens and gynoecium together form a Androgynophor. Petal tube and Androgynophor are also still be seen on the capsule fruit. The capsule fruits contain a lot of oil-containing seeds.

Dissemination

The types have their areas only in the Andes and the coastal desert ( Atacama Desert). Localities lie in Peru, Chile and in the ( adjacent ) western Argentina. Most species are in northern Chile. They grow in dry areas.

System

A synonym for Malesherbia is Gynopleura Cav ..

In the latest version of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group ( APG III), the Malesherbia out as the only genus in the subfamily Malesherbioideae and no longer the Malesherbiaceae family and together with the Passifloroideae and Turneroideae in the Passifloraceae sl incorporated. The subfamilies of Passifloroideae and Malesherbioideae have a Androgynophor. The subfamily Malesherbioideae is the subfamily of Turneroideae very close but the seeds lack an aril.

Karla M. Gengler - Nowak (2003) proposes a division of the genus into five sections: Albitomenta, Cyanpetala, Malesherbia, Parvistella and Xeromontana.

In the genre of Malesherbia be about 24 to 27 species distinction (selection):

• Malesherbia fasciculata D.Don
• Malesherbia gabrielae
• Malesherbia humilis
• Malesherbia linearifolia ( Cav. ) Pers.
• Malesherbia lirana Gay
• Malesherbia multiflora Ricardi
• Malesherbia paniculata D.Don
• Malesherbia taltalina
• Malesherbia tenuifolia D.Don
• Malesherbia thyrsiflora
• Malesherbia tocopillana Ricardi

Swell

• The Malesherbiaceae in APWebsite family. (English )
• Description of the family of Malesherbiaceae at DELTA. (English )