S. M. H. JAFRI

Podophyllum emodi Illustration Credit: Shaukat

Usually succulent perennial herbs with somewhat fleshy creeping or short rootstock and thick roots. Leaves mostly radical, palmately lobed or bipartite, rarely trifoliolate, exstipulate, Inflorescence cymose, umbellate or solitary. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite, petaloid or greenish. Sepals 4-6(-15), imbricate, rarely absent. Petals (0-) 6-9, imbricate, larger than sepals. Stamens (4-) 6-12 (-18), free; anthers opening by valves or slits from below upwards, usually extrorsely. Ovary monocarpellary, superior, 1-locular, with 1-many ovules on the adaxial side. Fruit a berry or dehiscent follicle; seeds with copious endosperm and small embryo.

A small family of 6 genera and about 20 species chiefly in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere; represented by 1 genus with 1 species in W. Pakistan.

Somewhat intermediate between Ranunculaceae and Berberidaceae Hutchinson (Fam. Fl. Pl. ed. 2, 1:404. 1959) included it in the order Ranales and the latter family under the order Berberidales.

Acknowledgement: We are grateful to the United States Department of Agriculture for financing this research under P.L. 480.

Lower Taxon

• Podophyllum Linn.