Episcia

Primary tabs

Episcia

Content

<<<Calyx>Ovary>Stigma>Lobe number

2-lobed1
1. 005-008-001-001

<<Calyx>Corolla>Colour

white, yellow, blue, purple to red2
2. 005-004-001

<<Calyx>Corolla>Shape

tubular, salver-shaped to campanulate3
3. 005-004-002

<<Calyx>Ovary>Stigma

stigma stomatomorphic, , or capitate.4
4. 005-008-001

<<Calyx>Stamens>Anthers

anthers coherent in pairs in a square or arc, becoming free, dehiscing by longitudinal slits,5
5. 005-005-002

<<Calyx>Stamens>Filaments

filaments basally connate,6
6. 005-005-001

<<Calyx>Stamens>Thecae

thecae parallel or divergent;7
7. 005-005-003

<Calyx>Corolla

corolla , ;8
8. 005-004

<Calyx>Disk

disc a single large dorsal gland;9
9. 005-007

<Calyx>Fifth lobe

the 5th dorsal, curved around corolla spur10
10. 005-003

<Calyx>Growth form

erect11
11. 005-002

<Calyx>Lobe number

412
12. 005-001

<Calyx>Ovary

ovary superior,13
13. 005-008

<Calyx>Stamens

stamens included,14
14. 005-005

<Calyx>Staminodes

staminode minute;15
15. 005-006

<Flowers>Bracteoles

bracteoles present;16
16. 004-004

<Flowers>Flower number per inflorescence

1-617
17. 004-002

<Flowers>Pedicels

pedicellate.18
18. 004-005

<Flowers>Peduncle

pedunculate or epedunculate;19
19. 004-003

<Flowers>Position

axillary20
20. 004-001

<Fruits>Colour

green or brown to reddish brown21
21. 006-002

<Fruits>Texture

fleshy22
22. 006-001

<Fruits>Valve number

2-valved23
23. 006-003

<Fruits>Valves

valves opening widely.24
24. 006-004

<Habit>Growth form

creeping, or sprawling25
25. 001-001

Calyx

Calyx lobes free or briefly connate at base, lobes , ;26
26. 005

Cytology

Chromosome number n=9 (Skog 1984).

Description

Terrestrial or epiphytic, caulescent, decumbent, creeping, or sprawling low herbs, rarely subshrubs, stoloniferous. Stems often branched. Leaves opposite, often crowded, usually nearly equal in a pair, venation pinnate, foliar nectaries absent. Flowers axillary, 1-6 in cymose inflorescences; pedunculate or epedunculate; bracteoles present; pedicellate. Calyx lobes free or briefly connate at base, 4 lobes erect, the 5th dorsal, curved around corolla spur; corolla white, yellow, blue, purple to red, tubular, salver-shaped to campanulate; stamens included, filaments basally connate, anthers coherent in pairs in a square or arc, becoming free, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, thecae parallel or divergent; staminode minute; disc a single large dorsal gland; ovary superior, stigma stomatomorphic, 2-lobed, or capitate. Fruit a fleshy, green or brown to reddish brown capsule, loculicidally dehiscent, 2-valved, valves opening widely.

Distribution

C America present, Guianas present, northern S America present
A genus of 10-15 species in C America and northern S America; 3 species in the Guianas.

Flowers

Flowers , in cymose inflorescences;27
27. 004

Fruits

Fruit a , capsule, loculicidally dehiscent, ,28
28. 006

Habit

Terrestrial or epiphytic, caulescent, decumbent, low herbs, rarely subshrubs, stoloniferous.29
29. 001

Leaves

Leaves opposite, often crowded, usually nearly equal in a pair, venation pinnate, foliar nectaries absent.30
30. 003

Notes

Included in the key are 2 species (E. cupreata (Hook.) Hanst. and E. lilacina Hanst.) which are cultivated and possibly escaping.

Stems

Stems often branched.31
31. 002