Entry for TRIBULUS cistoides L. [family ZYGOPHYLLACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Somalia
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. Thulin [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Names
TRIBULUS cistoidesL. [family ZYGOPHYLLACEAE], (1753). Fig. 96 A.
Information
Annual or short-lived perennial, pubescent to villous or glabrescent herb. Leaves 3–7 cm long; leaflets 4–8 pairs, oblong, to c. 15 x 5 mm; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 3–6 mm long. Pedicel 10–50 mm long. Sepals lanceolate, c. 5–10 mm long. Petals yellow, c. 8–20 mm long. Stamens 8–10; filaments 3–5 mm long. Style 1–4 mm long; stigma ± hemispherical to cylindrical. Fruit disc-shaped; pedicel 15–50 mm long; mericarps c. 8 x 4 mm, with 2 lateral spines 5–10 mm long and 2 basal spines c. 2 mm long.
Range
N1; C1; S1, 2 eastern parts of tropical Africa, Madagascar, Mascarene Is., Cape Verde Is., W Asia, America.
Gahad, gocondho (Som.). T. cistoides intergrades with T. zeyheri Sond. in eastern and southern Africa and probably the two are conspecific. Most Somali collections are ± intermediate with medium-sized flowers, 2–3 mm long style and a cylindrical stigma. See also under T. terrestris.
