(Last Modified On 3/12/2013)
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(Last Modified On 3/12/2013)
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Genus
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WISSADULA Medic.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Malv.-Fam. 24. 1787.
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Description
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Herbs, undershrubs or shrubs, the indumentum usually of stellate hairs. Leaves petiolate, the stipules caducous, the blade cordate or truncate at the base, the mar- gins entire or dentate. Flowers axillary and solitary, or in terminal, paniculiform inflorescences; epicalyx wanting; calyx 5-merous, campanulate or somewhat turbi- nate, lobed to about or to below the middle, persistent; corolla small or medium- sized, the petals 5, the base adnate to the staminal tube; staminal tube short, ventricose, filamentiferous at the apex, the filaments relatively numerous, the anthers reniform; ovary of 5, rarely 3-4 or 6 carpels, each carpel (1)3-ovulate, the ovules anatropous, pendulous; styles isomerous with the carpels, the stigmas capi- tate. Fruits more or less stellate-turbinate or globose, of 5, rarely 3-4 or 6 mericarps, these angulate to rostrate apically and with the beaks pointing outwards, more or less completely divided into 2 superposed cavities by tranversal or oblique constric- tion of the lateral walls, the lower cavity 1-seeded, the upper with 2 collateral seeds, ultimately incompletely 2-valvate; seeds subglobose-reniform, pubescent; embryo curved, the albumen scant; cotyledons plicate.
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Habit
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Herbs shrubs
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Distribution
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A genus of some 40 species, predominantly American, but with a few species (perhaps only 1) known in the Old World tropics.
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Reference
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Fries in 1908 (K. Sv. Vetenskapsakad. Handl. [ser. 4] 43(4): 1-95).
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Distribution
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The range of the genus in America is from southern Texas and the West Indies to Argentina. Three species occur in Panama.
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Key
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a. Leaf blades narrowly triangular to triangular; pedicels elongate, filiform, up to 5 cm long .-. 1. W. PERIPLOCIFOLIA aa. Leaf blades narrowly to broadly ovate or oblong-ovate. b. Leaf blades ovate to broadly ovate, deeply cordate and with the basal lobes often overlapping, velvety on both sides, the lower surface densely whitish- stellate-tomentellous; pedicels 0.5-2.5 cm long, to 3.5 cm long in fruit -..-.. . ..- ..-....-.. 2. W. AMPLISSIMA bb. Leaf blades ovate or oblong-ovate, sometimes narrowly so, rounded or truncate or shallowly cordate with a very open sinus at the base, scabrid- ulous above, the lower surface with 2 tiers of stellate hairs, the lower tier minutely whitish- or canescent-tomentellous, the upper one ferruginous- pubescent with longer, stellate hairs; pedicels 0.5-1 cm long or shorter, slightly longer in fruit .... .. ... 3. W. EXCELSIOR
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