Apiaceae

Alepidea F.Delaroche

First published in Eryng. Alep. Hist.: 19 (1808)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Ethiopia to S. Africa.

Descriptions

Umbelliferae, J. F. M. Cannon. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit
Erect perennial or biennial herbs with wiry stems and simple coriaceous leaves; leaf margins dentate, with the apices of the teeth frequently produced to form long stiff ciliary appendages.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence comprising a relatively small number of capitulate umbels, each composed of ± sessile hermaphrodite flowers.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts very well developed, chartaceous, in ± 2 series, forming a ± connate, conspicuous involucre round the flowers, and probably acting as an insect attractant, comparable to the ray florets of the Compositae.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx teeth conspicuous; petals erect, often with a sharply inflexed apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stylopodium
Stylopodium generally not well developed, depressed and with a thickened margin; styles sometimes with a thickened apical stigmatic region.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit ovoid to subglobose; carpophore not strongly developed, undivided. Mericarps usually covered with scaly tubercles.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Vittae
Vittae 5, with 1 in each interval and 2 in the commissural face.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed similar in section to the mericarp as a whole.
[FZ]

Umbelliferae, C.C. Townsend. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1989

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs with one or more stems from the rootstock, usually branched chiefly in the inflorescence
Morphology Leaves
Leaves simple, the basal ± long-tapering or more abruptly narrowed; stem leaves ± clasping and auriculate, all with regularly serrate-dentate margins; teeth (at least of the stem leaves) tipped with long cilia
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels simple, generally numerous, reduced to a dense capitulum surrounded by broad rather rigid but non-spinose coloured involucral bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers ebracteolate, white to creamy, pinkish or greenish
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-teeth distinct
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals slightly notched above with an incurved lobule frequently ± equalling the lamina
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit ovoid or ovoid-globose, slightly laterally compressed, usually furnished with tubercles or rugose, rarely (not in East Africa) smooth; commissure broad; ribs obsolete; vittae 5, large, 3 dorsal and 2 on the commissure; stylopodia flat and obscure; carpophore reduced, simple
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Endosperm flat or slightly concave on the commissure, broadly rounded or indented below the vittae dorsally, or ± pentagonal.
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0