Blechum

<<<<<Calyx>Corolla>Limbs>Shape>Lower lip>Lobe number

3-lobed1

1. 005-003-003-001-003-001

<<<<<Calyx>Corolla>Limbs>Shape>Upper lip>Lobe number

2-lobed2

2. 005-003-003-001-002-001

<<<<Calyx>Corolla>Limbs>Shape>Lobe number

5-lobed3

3. 005-003-003-001-001

<<<<Calyx>Corolla>Limbs>Shape>Lower lip

lower lip4

4. 005-003-003-001-003

<<<<Calyx>Corolla>Limbs>Shape>Upper lip

upper lip5

5. 005-003-003-001-002

<<<Calyx>Corolla>Limbs>Shape

± equally to subbipped with and , corolla lobes contorted in bud6

6. 005-003-003-001

<<<Calyx>Ovules>Style>Shape

subulate at apex7

7. 005-005-002-001

<<<Calyx>Stamens>Anthers>Theca number

2-thecous8

8. 005-004-003-001

<<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Margins>Hairs

ciliate10

10. 003-002-003-002

<<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Margins>Margin type

entire11

11. 003-002-003-001

<<<Leaves>Blade>Margins>Margin type

entire, crenate, or repand-dentate12

12. 002-001-001-001

<<Calyx>Corolla>Colour

usually lavender, white, or purplish13

13. 005-003-001

<<Calyx>Corolla>Limbs

limb subregular, and ;14

14. 005-003-003

<<Calyx>Corolla>Tube

tube slender, straight or curved, somewhat enlarged above,15

15. 005-003-002

<<Calyx>Lobes>Hairs

ciliolate16

16. 005-002-002

<<Calyx>Lobes>Shape

linear-subulate17

17. 005-002-001

<<Calyx>Ovules>Ovule number per locule

few to 618

18. 005-005-001

<<Calyx>Ovules>Posterior lobes

posterior lobe usually minute.19

19. 005-005-003

<<Calyx>Ovules>Style

style included in corolla tube, ,20

20. 005-005-002

<<Calyx>Stamens>Anthers

anthers ,21

21. 005-004-003

<<Calyx>Stamens>Filaments

filaments united at base by a membrane,22

22. 005-004-002

<<Calyx>Stamens>Stamen number

423

23. 005-004-001

<<Calyx>Stamens>Staminodes

staminodes ;24

24. 005-004-005

<<Calyx>Stamens>Thecae

thecae equal, parallel, muticous at base,25

25. 005-004-004

<<Capsules>Seeds>Hairs

margins covered with hygroscopictrichomes26

26. 006-002-003

<<Capsules>Seeds>Seed number

8-1627

27. 006-002-001

<<Capsules>Seeds>Shape

flat, lenticular28

28. 006-002-002

<<Flowers>Bracteoles>Bracteole number

229

29. 004-001-001

<<Flowers>Bracteoles>Shape

narrowly lanceolate to elliptic30

30. 004-001-002

<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Colour

green31

31. 003-002-001

<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Margins

margin , .32

32. 003-002-003

<<Inflorescences>Bracts>Shape

usually ovate to suborbicular33

33. 003-002-002

<<Leaves>Blade>Margins

margin .34

34. 002-001-001

<Calyx>Corolla

corolla ,35

35. 005-003

<Calyx>Lobe number

5-lobed36

36. 005-001

<Calyx>Lobes

lobes , , slightly unequal in length;37

37. 005-002

<Calyx>Ovules

ovules in each locule,38

38. 005-005

<Calyx>Stamens

stamens , didynamous, inserted above middle of corolla tube,39

39. 005-004

<Capsules>Retinacula

retinacula present, septae with retinacula remaining attached to inner wall of mature capsule;40

40. 006-001

<Capsules>Seeds

seeds , , .41

41. 006-002

<Flowers>Bracteoles

subtended by bracteoles42

42. 004-001

<Habit>Growth form

erect43

43. 001-001

<Habit>Hairs

pilose or glabrate44

44. 001-002

<Inflorescences>Bracts

bracts opposite, , imbricate, ,45

45. 003-002

<Inflorescences>Position

terminal or axillary46

46. 003-001

<Leaves>Blade

blades thin,47

47. 002-001

Calyx

Calyx deeply ,48

48. 005

Capsules

Capsules substipitate, ellipsoidal,49

49. 006

Description

Sprawling to erect perennial herbs with cystoliths, pilose or glabrate. Leaves petiolate; blades thin, margin entire, crenate, or repand-dentate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary spikes; bracts opposite, green, imbricate, usually ovate to suborbicular, margin entire, ciliate. Flowers sessile, subtended by 2narrowly lanceolate to elliptic bracteolesCalyx deeply 5-lobed, lobes linear-subulate, ciliolate, slightly unequal in length; corolla usually lavender, white, or purplish, tube slender, straight or curved, somewhat enlarged above, limb subregular, and ± equally 5-lobed to subbipped with upper lip 2-lobed and lower lip 3-lobed, corolla lobes contorted in bud; stamens 4, didynamous, inserted above middle of corolla tube, filaments united at base by a membrane, anthers 2-thecous, thecae equal, parallel, muticous at base, staminodes 0; ovules few to 6 in each locule, style included in corolla tube, subulate at apex, posterior lobe usually minute. Capsules substipitate, ellipsoidal, retinacula present, septae with retinacula remaining attached to inner wall of mature capsule; seeds 8-16, flat, lenticular, margins covered with hygroscopictrichomes.

Distribution

Guianas present, Paleotropics

Neotropical genus of about 8 species; Blechum pyramidatum, a weedy species, has become naturalized in the Paleotropics; 1 species in the Guianas.

Flowers

Flowers sessile,50

50. 004

Habit

Sprawling to perennial herbs with cystoliths, .51

51. 001

Inflorescences

Inflorescences spikes;52

52. 003

Leaves

Leaves petiolate;53

53. 002

Primary tabs

Content