Tetraglochin Poeppig (1833: 26)

Cialdella, Ana M. & Pometti, Carolina L., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the genus Tetraglochin (Rosaceae, Rosoideae) and morphometric analysis of its species, Phytotaxa 296 (3), pp. 201-227 : 209-210

Tetraglochin Poeppig (1833: 26) . Type species: Tetraglochin stricta Poepp.

Chamaephytes or dwarf-shrubs highly branched, branches erect to postrate, with heteroblastic development: vegetative long branches or macroblasts during the first year which give rise to short flowering branches or brachyblasts afterwards. Leaves stipulate, petiolate, alternate, with the stipules fused to the base of the petiole and partially embracing the branch; leaf blade compound, imparipinnate, dimorphic: those on the macroblasts with persistent petiole-rachis axis, conspicuously to slightly indurated, frequently whitish, straight to somewhat curved, and with deciduous leaflets, while those on the brachyblasts with very short petiole-rachis axis, rarely absent, slightly or not indurated, and with persistent crowded leaflets still present at flowering time. Flowers small, inconspicuous, solitary, axillary on the brachyblasts, perfect, chasmogamous or cleistogamous. Hypanthium urceolate enclosing the ovary. Sepals 4-5, free, persistent, arising from the hypanthium rim. Petals absent. Stamens 1-2, inserted in the hypanthium rim, deciduous, with short filaments and small anthers. Ovary 1-carpelar. 1-ovulated; style short and filiform; stigma flabelliform. Fruit achene, enclosed in the hypanthium but not fused to it, this structure called cupela; hypanthium membranous to indurated, glabrous to pubescent, frequently coloured and enlarged at maturity, thorny and/or (2–)3–4-winged, the wings longitudinal, mostly well developed, with entire to dentate margin.

A genus of six species and two varieties distributed along the Andes, from Perú to southern Argentina and central Chile.