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SPHAEROTHYLAX Bisch. [family PODOSTEMACEAE]
Date Updated: 19 August 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (2005) Author: H. J. Beentje, M.Sc., Ph.D., F.L.S.
Names
SPHAEROTHYLAX Bisch. [family PODOSTEMACEAE], in Flora 27: 426, t. 1 (1844)
Anastrophaea Wedd. [family ], in DC., Prodr. 17: 78 (1873)
Information
Perennial herbs, submerged freshwater aquatics; thalloid base attached to substrate, foliaceous and lobed or ribbon-like and branched; stems absent or very short, to elongate and branched with leaves and flowers congested at the nodes. Leaves dissected into filiform segments. Spathellas ± sessile on the thalloid part or in clusters axillary to leaves on elongated stems, solitary or aggregated, subtended by 2 scale-like bracts, surrounding the reflexed flower bud until anthesis, when the flower breaks the spathella and the pedicel becomes exserted, with an erect flower. Flower with 2 tepals, these minute and subulate; stamen 1; ovary 1-locular, subspherical, with 2 subulate stigmas. Capsule subspherical, 8-ribbed, dehiscing into 2 equal or slightly unequal valves, the smaller one caducous; seeds many, black, flattened and ovoid.
Range
2 species in Africa.
Notes
The number of stamens has been debated for this genus. The protologue says that there are three, but then Bischoff counted the two tepals as staminodes; otherwise, from early days they have been counted as two, with their filaments fused to the apex. Taylor (in J.B. 76: 111, 1938) says the stamen structure consists of a single stamen with a broad filament and anther. The filament is so expanded towards the apex that the lobes of the deeply cleft anther appear separate. Cusset follows Taylor, as I do here. The author of the genus has been cited as Krauss in many publications, but it is definitely Bischoff.
Date Updated: 19 August 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (2005) Author: H. J. Beentje, M.Sc., Ph.D., F.L.S.
Names
SPHAEROTHYLAX Bisch. [family PODOSTEMACEAE], in Flora 27: 426, t. 1 (1844)
Anastrophaea Wedd. [family ], in DC., Prodr. 17: 78 (1873)
Information
Perennial herbs, submerged freshwater aquatics; thalloid base attached to substrate, foliaceous and lobed or ribbon-like and branched; stems absent or very short, to elongate and branched with leaves and flowers congested at the nodes. Leaves dissected into filiform segments. Spathellas ± sessile on the thalloid part or in clusters axillary to leaves on elongated stems, solitary or aggregated, subtended by 2 scale-like bracts, surrounding the reflexed flower bud until anthesis, when the flower breaks the spathella and the pedicel becomes exserted, with an erect flower. Flower with 2 tepals, these minute and subulate; stamen 1; ovary 1-locular, subspherical, with 2 subulate stigmas. Capsule subspherical, 8-ribbed, dehiscing into 2 equal or slightly unequal valves, the smaller one caducous; seeds many, black, flattened and ovoid.
Range
2 species in Africa.
Notes
The number of stamens has been debated for this genus. The protologue says that there are three, but then Bischoff counted the two tepals as staminodes; otherwise, from early days they have been counted as two, with their filaments fused to the apex. Taylor (in J.B. 76: 111, 1938) says the stamen structure consists of a single stamen with a broad filament and anther. The filament is so expanded towards the apex that the lobes of the deeply cleft anther appear separate. Cusset follows Taylor, as I do here. The author of the genus has been cited as Krauss in many publications, but it is definitely Bischoff.
Date Updated: 19 August 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (2005) Author: H. J. Beentje, M.Sc., Ph.D., F.L.S.
Names
SPHAEROTHYLAX Bisch. [family PODOSTEMACEAE], in Flora 27: 426, t. 1 (1844)
Anastrophaea Wedd. [family ], in DC., Prodr. 17: 78 (1873)
Information
Perennial herbs, submerged freshwater aquatics; thalloid base attached to substrate, foliaceous and lobed or ribbon-like and branched; stems absent or very short, to elongate and branched with leaves and flowers congested at the nodes. Leaves dissected into filiform segments. Spathellas ± sessile on the thalloid part or in clusters axillary to leaves on elongated stems, solitary or aggregated, subtended by 2 scale-like bracts, surrounding the reflexed flower bud until anthesis, when the flower breaks the spathella and the pedicel becomes exserted, with an erect flower. Flower with 2 tepals, these minute and subulate; stamen 1; ovary 1-locular, subspherical, with 2 subulate stigmas. Capsule subspherical, 8-ribbed, dehiscing into 2 equal or slightly unequal valves, the smaller one caducous; seeds many, black, flattened and ovoid.
Range
2 species in Africa.
Notes
The number of stamens has been debated for this genus. The protologue says that there are three, but then Bischoff counted the two tepals as staminodes; otherwise, from early days they have been counted as two, with their filaments fused to the apex. Taylor (in J.B. 76: 111, 1938) says the stamen structure consists of a single stamen with a broad filament and anther. The filament is so expanded towards the apex that the lobes of the deeply cleft anther appear separate. Cusset follows Taylor, as I do here. The author of the genus has been cited as Krauss in many publications, but it is definitely Bischoff.
![SPHAEROTHYLAX Bisch. [family PODOSTEMACEAE]](/fsi/img/misc/plants/static_thumbs/flora_tropEA_icon96.jpg)
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