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4. Maerua Forssk., Fl. Aegypt-Arab. 104. 1775. Benth. & Hooker, Gen. Pl. 1:108.1862; Boiss., Fl. Or. 1:419.1867; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1:171.1872; Pax & Hoffm. in Engl. & Prantl, Natur. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2, 17 b:195. 1936; Elffers et al, 1.c.24.; Hedge & Lamond, l.c.11, Hutchinson, Gen. Fl. Pl. 2: 313.1967.
S.M.H. Jafri
Shrubs, climbing or spreading, rarely small trees unarmed, often glaucous. Leaves simple, sometimes trifoliolate, alternate or clustered on short lateral shoots, usually short-petioled; stipules subulate, minute or indistinct, never spiny. Inflorescence usually a corymbose raceme, sometimes a panicle or flowers 1-4 in the axils of the upper leaves. Sepals 4, valvate, united at the base into a persistent tube lined by the receptacle or disk. Petals 4, or absent, subequal, much smaller than the calyx, inserted on the edges of the calyx tube, often caducous. Androphore almost equal to or exceeding the receptacle, without an appendage. Stamens usually many, inserted on the torus. Gynophore long, slender, exceeding the stamens; ovary narrowly cylindrical to spheroid, 1-2-locular; ovules usually many on 2-4 parietal placentas. Fruit cylindrical to spheroid, torulose or not, glabrous to pubescent, 1- many seeded. Seeds large, subglobose; cotyledons incumbent-convolute.
About 90 spp., mostly in the drier areas of Africa and old world tropics. It is represented by only two spp. in West Pakistan.
Lower Taxa
Related Synonym(s):
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