Valantia L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 37

8. Valantia L. 1

Annual to perennial herbs. Leaves 1-veined, in whorls of 4. Inflorescence leafy, narrow, scarcely branched, with whorls of short, axillary 3-flowered cymes; central flower hermaphrodite, corolla 4-lobed; lateral flowers male, corolla 3-lobed. Peduncles and pedicels deflexed between leaves, coalescing, enlarging and encircling fruit, with bristles or hooks on outside. Calyx absent. Corolla cup-shaped to rotate; stigmas capitate. Fruit dry; meri­ carps 1-2, papillose or glabrous, usually remaining within peduncle and pedicel cavity.

1 Perennial; hermaphrodite flowers about2-5 mm; fruitseparat­ ing easily from peduncle and pedicel 1. aprica

1 Annual; hermaphrodite flowers not more than 2 mm; fruit separating with difficulty from peduncle and pedicel

2 Scabrid-hispid; pedunclewithout dorsalhorn 2. hispida

2 Slightlyhairytowardsapex; pedunclewithconspicuous dorsal horn 3. muralis