Boerhavia
Boerhavia intermedia, details
The Boerhavia are a genus within the family of magic flowers plants ( Nyctaginaceae ).
Description
Boerhavia species are annual or perennial herbaceous plants. Many species become woody at least at their base. They form long rope-like or spindle-shaped taproots. The unbranched, highly variable between species stem axis may be crawling, hanging, climbing or upright. In some species, the internodes are sticky.
The stalked, against constantly arranged foliage leaves, the leaves of a pair are different sizes. The shape of blade varies greatly on the species and can be very thin, or thick and fleshy. The shape is symmetric or asymmetric.
The terminal or pendent inflorescences are stalked or not clear, stalked by a continuous diffuse branching. Also the shape of the inflorescence varies greatly over the individual types, it is often wide cymoid or in the form of a thyrsus. Terminal inflorescences can be cymoid, paniculate, ährig, schirmrispig or capitate. One to three slender, lanceolate and translucent bracts under each flower.
The flowers are hermaphrodite. It's just a circle intergrown bloom yet. The radiärsymmetrische or slightly zygomorphe perianth is bell-shaped or broadly tubular and constricted below the ovary. The corolla tube widens abruptly into four or five lobes. Each flower contains two to eight stamens, which may protrude from the flower. In some species the style is longer than the stamens, so they dominated. The scar is curved shield-shaped.
The fruits are like the magic flowers plants typical Anthokarpi, ie fruits in which the perianth closely surrounds the ovary and become an integral part thereof. They are spindle-shaped and often very variable. They are often three or fünfrippig or leaf.
Dissemination
Boerhavia species are native throughout the tropics and subtropics, and in the warm areas of the temperate zones. They love sandy soils.
Etymology
The genus is named after the Dutch physician and botanist Herman Boerhaave (1668-1738), but the spelled with double -a. Many authors, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries have corrected the spelling Linnaeus after Boerhaavia, Boerhaavia Mill, orth var. This notation has, however, not enforced.
System
The genus Boerhavia morphologically very variable, correspondingly difficult the delimitation designed against allied genera. Francis Raymond Fosberg for example, the genera Anulocaulis, Commicarpus, and Cyphomeris to Boerhavia, this view is no longer generally followed.
Even within the species level, the individual plants vary greatly. Especially the species in the Sonoran Desert and the pantropical B. diffusa - B. coccinea complex are often so different that they can hardly be classified. Total about 20 to 40 types are counted to the genus, some are of:
- Boerhavia anisophylla Torr.
- Boerhavia ciliata Brandegee
- Boerhavia coccinea Mill
- Boerhavia coulteri ( Hook. f ) S.Wats.
- Boerhavia diandra L.
- Boerhavia diffusa L.
- Boerhavia erecta L.
- Boerhavia gracillima Heimerl
- Boerhavia herbstii Fosberg
- Boerhavia hualienense S.H.Chen & M.J.Wu
- Boerhavia intermedia M.E.Jones
- Boerhavia linearifolia Gray
- Boerhavia mathisiana F.B.Jones
- Boerhavia megaptera Standlschmaus.
- Boerhavia procumbens Banks ex Roxb.
- Boerhavia pterocarpa S.Wats.
- Boerhavia purpurascens Gray
- Boerhavia repens L.
- Boerhavia rubicunda Steud.
- Boerhavia scandens L.
- Boerhavia spicata Choisy
- Boerhavia torreyana ( S.Watson ) Standlschmaus.
- Boerhavia triquetra S.Wats.
- Boerhavia vulvarifolia Poir.
- Boerhavia wrightii Gray
Swell
- F. Raymond Fosberg: Studies in the genus Boerhavia L.
: 1-5. In: Smithsonian Contributions to botany. 39, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington 1978. - Richard W. Spellenberg: Nyctaginaceae in the Flora of North America, Volume 4, page 17: Boerhavia - Online. (English)
- Dequan Lu & Michael G. Gilbert: Nyctaginaceae in the Flora of China, Volume 5, page 430: Boerhavia - Online. (English)