西洋白花菜属 xi yang bai hua cai shu

Herbs, annual, sparsely or profusely branched, glabrous. Stipules absent [scalelike, caducous] (petiolar spines sometimes present). Leaves alternate, spirally arranged, palmately compound; petiole long or short, with pulvinus at basal or distal end; petiolule bases connate forming a pulvinar disk; leaflet blades lanceolate to oblanceolate, margin ciliate-serrulate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary from apical leaves, racemose or sometimes flat-topped or elongated, elongating in fruit; bract present at base of pedicels, small. Flowers slightly zygomorphic. Sepals 4, equal, each often subtending a basal nectary. Petals 4, distinct, equal. Stamens 6; filaments adnate to basal ca. 1/4 of gynophore, forming an androgynophore. Gynophore slender, elongating and recurving in fruit; carpel 1; style short, thick; stigma 1, capitate. Fruit an oblong capsule, dehiscent. Seeds 10-40 per capsule, reniform, not arillate; cleft fused between 2 ends of seed.

Five species: Africa, tropical America, S North America, South America; one species (introduced) in China.

Lower Taxon

• Cleoserrata speciosa (Rafinesque) Iltis