Besleria

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Besleria

Content

<<<Calyx>Ovary>Stigma>Lobe number

2-lobed1
1. 005-006-001-001

<<Calyx>Corolla>Colour

yellow, orange, red, or white2
2. 005-002-001

<<Calyx>Corolla>Lobe number

53
3. 005-002-003

<<Calyx>Corolla>Shape

usually cylindric4
4. 005-002-002

<<Calyx>Ovary>Stigma

stigma stomatomorphic to .5
5. 005-006-001

<<Calyx>Stamens>Anthers

anthers coherent at first, becoming free, dehiscing by longitudinal slits,6
6. 005-003-002

<<Calyx>Stamens>Filaments

filaments usually not connate,7
7. 005-003-001

<<Calyx>Stamens>Thecae

thecae parallel to divergent;8
8. 005-003-003

<Calyx>Corolla

corolla , with lobes;9
9. 005-002

<Calyx>Disk

disc annular, entire;10
10. 005-005

<Calyx>Lobe number

511
11. 005-001

<Calyx>Ovary

ovary superior,12
12. 005-006

<Calyx>Stamens

stamens included,13
13. 005-003

<Calyx>Staminodes

staminode occasionally developing;14
14. 005-004

<Flowers>Bracteoles

bracteoles absent;15
15. 004-004

<Flowers>Flower number

rarely solitary16
16. 004-002

<Flowers>Flower number per inflorescence

more usually in few-many17
17. 004-003

<Flowers>Pedicels

short or long pedicellate.18
18. 004-005

<Flowers>Position

axillary19
19. 004-001

<Fruits>Colour

red, orange, or white20
20. 006-002

<Fruits>Texture

fleshy21
21. 006-001

<Habit>Growth form

erect, rarely scandent22
22. 001-001

Calyx

Calyx lobes , usually connate at base into a short or long tube;23
23. 005

Cytology

Chromosome number n=16 (Skog 1984).

Description

Terrestrial or rarely epiphytic, caulescent, erect, rarely scandent herbs or shrubs, without modified stems. Stems rarely branched. Leaves opposite, rarely ternate, equal to unequal in a pair, venation pinnate, foliar nectaries absent. Flowers axillary, rarely solitary, but more usually in few-many fasciculate, epedunculate to long-pedunculate, cymose or subumbellate inflorescences; bracteoles absent; short or long pedicellate. Calyx lobes 5, usually connate at base into a short or long tube; corolla yellow, orange, red, or white, usually cylindric with 5 lobes; stamens included, filaments usually not connate, anthers coherent at first, becoming free, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, thecae parallel to divergent; staminode occasionally developing; disc annular, entire; ovary superior, stigma stomatomorphic to 2-lobed. Fruit a fleshy, indehiscent, red, orange, or white berry.

Distribution

Guianas present, Northern America, Southern America, northwestern S America present
About 200 species from Mexico to Brazil and the West Indies, from an apparent center in northwestern S America; 7 species in the Guianas.

Flowers

Flowers , , but fasciculate, epedunculate to long-pedunculate, cymose or subumbellate inflorescences;24
24. 004

Fruits

Fruit a , indehiscent, berry.25
25. 006

Habit

Terrestrial or rarely epiphytic, caulescent, herbs or shrubs, without modified stems.26
26. 001

Leaves

Leaves opposite, rarely ternate, equal to unequal in a pair, venation pinnate, foliar nectaries absent.27
27. 003

Notes

Miquel () described Besleria surinamensis from Suriname. Pulle () renamed the species as Besleria verrucosa (Splitg. ex de Vriese) Pulle based on Clerodendrum verrucosum Splitg. ex de Vriese (). This species has been identified as Trichanthera gigantea (Humb. & Bonpl.) Nees, a member of the ACANTHACEAE.
A single collection of Besleria lutea L. is labeled "French Guiana". The specimen at P was collected by L.C. Richard, but the locality is doubtful. The specimen was probably collected in the French Antilles where the species is well known.
Leeuwenberg (1958: 369) reported a collection of Besleria lanceolata Urb. in P-LA labeled "French Guiana". Leeuwenberg believed it to have been collected in Martinique where it is endemic.

Stems

Stems rarely branched.28
28. 002