沙戟属 sha ji shu

Authors: Huaxing Qiu & Michael G. Gilbert

Tournesol Adanson.

Herbs or subshrubs; indumentum of stellate hairs and/or peltate scales, usually dense. Leaves alternate; stipules subulate; leaf blade margin entire or repand-dentate, base usually with 2 glands. Inflorescences axillary, racemelike thyrses, bisexual, male flowers distal, female flowers proximal. Male flowers: sepals 5, valvate; petals 5; disk absent, rarely present; stamens 5-15; filaments connate into a column; anthers 2-locular. Female flowers: sepals 5, valvate; petals 5, rarely absent; disk 5-glandular; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, 2-lobed, papillose. Fruit a capsule, stellate-pubescent or scaly, sometimes tuberculate, 3-locular. Seeds ovoid, smooth or warty.

About 12 species: C and S Asia, S Europe to E Africa, often in drier habitats; one species in China.

Lower Taxon

• Chrozophora sabulosa Karelin & Kirilov