Nelsonia

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Nelsonia

Description

Diffuse, pubescent herbs, without cystoliths. Leaves petiolate; blades ovate, orbicular or linear-lanceolate. Inflorescences of axillary or terminal spikes of 3-many flowers; bracts ± spirally arranged, overlapping, each subtending one flower; bracteoles lacking. Flowers homostylous, subsessile; calyx 4-lobed, lobes unequal, free to base, lower lobe usually 2-toothed apically; corolla tube with slight constriction at point of insertion of stamens, tube sometimes widening into throat, limb either 2-lipped with 2-lobed upper lip and 3-lobed lower lip, or 5 ± equal lobes; stamens 2, inserted in top of tube, included or slightly exserted, filaments short, basally pubescent, anthers 2-thecous, thecae inserted at equal levels, ± globose, mucronulate basally, staminodes 0; ovary with 8-24 ovules in 2-4 rows, glabrous, stigma 2-lobed, usually equally so. Capsule conical, beaked, seed bearing only at base, retinacula absent; seeds 8-28, small, globose, not compressed, with numerous cristae, glabrous.

Distribution

Africa present, Asia present, Australasia, tropical America
A genus of 3 species in Africa, Asia and Australia; 2 of which are also found in tropical America where it may have been introduced. The genus is often treated as one variable weedy species.