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FRANKENIACEAE

FRANKENIA FAMILY

R. John Little

Subshrubs, shrubs, generally from rhizome; salt-secreting glands present
Stem prostrate to erect, nodes swollen, often rooting; petioles or dead leaves persisting on older stems
Leaves opposite, 4-ranked, ± clustered; blade entire, generally leathery or fleshy, glabrous to hairy, margins rolled under
Inflorescence: cyme, axillary; flowers 1–25
Flower generally bisexual, radial; sepals 4–7, fused; petals 4–7, free, overlapping, clawed (together appearing salverform), white to blue-purple, petal blade with a scale-like appendage near base; stamens 3–12 in two whorls, outer shorter; ovary superior, chambers 1–4, style branches 1–4; ovules 1–many
Fruit: loculicidal capsule
Seed ivory to golden-brown
Genera in family: 1 genus, 90 species: temp saline and gypsum soils
Reference: [Whalen 1987 Syst Bot Monogr 17:1–93]