Melochia Linnaeus (1753)

Gonçalez, Victor Martins & Esteves, Gerleni Lopes, 2015, Synopsis of Melochia L. (Byttnerioideae, Malvaceae) in southeastern Brazil, Phytotaxa 226 (3), pp. 217-232 : 218

Melochia Linnaeus (1753)

Type species: Melochia corchorifolia Linnaeus (1753: 675) .

Herbs or subshurbs, erect or rarely procumbent; branches with stellate, biradiate, multiradiate or simple trichomes, sometimes with glandular trichomes, tomentose to glabrate. Leaf blades concolor or discolor, entire, linear, narrow to wide elliptic, ovate, oblong or orbicular, apex obtuse, acute, acuminate, atenuate or orbicular, base subrounded to rounded, truncate, cuneate, attenuate or cordate, margins long or short serrate or irregularly serrate, stipules persistent or deciduous, petiole short or long. Inflorescence an axillary and/or terminal cyme, leaf opposite to or at the apex of small axillary branches, glomeruliform, subspiciform to spiciform or subpaniculate, cyme 1–20-flowered, usually pedunculate, bractlets 2–3 per flower, bracts often triangular; calyx campanulate or cupuliform, lobes sometimes attenuate, sinus acute, subrounded to widely-rounded; flowers bisexual, dichlamydeous, actinomorphic, pedicellate, distylous; petals flat, color variable, with or without a basal spot, obovate, glabrous; stamens 5, partially or completely concrescent, anthers dithecous, staminodes absent; longistylous form: stamens completely concrescent in a tube or partially concrescent then free; brevistylous in form: stamens partially concrescent then free; ovary 5-carpellate, locules 1–2-ovulate; styles 5, straight, papillate at apex. Capsule globose or pyramidal pentapterous, rostrate, stipe present or absent, dehiscence loculicidal and/or septicidal, inner surface glabrous, paleaceous and shiny, stigma persistent or deciduous; seed 1–2 per cell, trigonous or ovoid, brown or black, reticulate or striate.