TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
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Shrubs
Stem generally glabrous; twigs or branchlets generally thorny
Leaves generally deciduous, simple, small, generally alternate, entire; stipules minute or 0
Inflorescence: flowers solitary
Flower generally bisexual, radial; hypanthium short, mostly forming thick nectary-disk; sepals generally 5(36), free; petals ephemeral, generally 5(36), free, generally white; stamens 450, attached to nectary-disk; pistils 19, simple, styles short, stigma head-like, ovules generally 2many
Fruit: follicles 19
Seeds brown to black, with an aril
Genera in family: 3 genera, 8 species: w US, Mex (Apacheria of AZ, NM has 1 sp.)
Reference: [Thorne & Scogin 1978 Aliso 9:171178]
Small shrubs, generally densely branched
Stem greenish, glabrous to sparsely hairy, angled; branchlets thorny
Leaves small, generally deciduous, generally oblanceolate to obovate, ± entire
Flower: petals narrowly oblanceolate, white; stamens 410
Fruit: follicles 13, ovoid, sessile, generally striate, generally beaked
Seeds generally 12 per follicle, generally brown; aril ± inconspicuous, generally whitish
Species in genus: ± 5 species: w US, n Mex, especially limestone in desert mtns
Etymology: (Greek: tongue petal, from petal shape)
Reference: [Holmgren 1988 Brittonia 40:269274]
Formerly called Forsellesia and assigned to Celastraceae.