Herniaria Tourn. ex L.

Rupturewort (en), Herniaire (fr)

Genus

Angiosperms > Caryophyllales > Caryophyllaceae

Characteristics

Herbs, annual, biennial, or perennial. Taproots slender. Stems ascending or spreading to often prostrate, much-branched from base, mat-forming, terete. Leaves opposite, or distalmost alternate (from reduction of 1 member of a pair), connate by a line of tissue between adjacent stipules, sessile or virtually so; stipules 2 per node, inconspicuous, white, ovate to deltate, margins ciliate, apex acute; blade 1-veined, oblanceolate to elliptic or suborbiculate, not succulent, apex acute to rounded. Inflorescences densely clustered cymes usually on short lateral branches opposite a leaf; bracts paired, resembling stipules, smaller. Pedicels: flowers sessile. Flowers: hypanthium cup-shaped, not abruptly expanded distally; sepals 5, distinct, greenish to whitish green, lanceolate to oblong, 0.5-1.5 mm, herbaceous, margins green, herbaceous, apex acute to subobtuse, not hooded, not awned; nectaries near inner surface of filament bases; stamens (2-)4-5; filaments distinct; staminodes 5, arising from hypanthium rim, subulate-filiform, inconspicuous; styles 2, connate in proximal 3, filiform, 0.1-0.4 mm, glabrous proximally; stigmas 2, linear along adaxial surfaces of style branches, papillate (100×). Utricles at least partly enclosed by hypanthium, opening irregularly. Seeds dark brown or black, ovoid to lenticular, slightly laterally compressed, shiny, smooth, marginal wing absent, appendage absent; embryo peripheral, curved. x = 9.
More
Herbs annual or perennial. Stems diffuse or procumbent, much branched. Leaves alternate or opposite, sessile or shortly petiolate; leaf blade oblong, elliptic, or subcordate; stipules small, membranous, caducous. Inflorescence a small cyme or glomerule, sometimes reduced to a solitary flower, leaf-opposed or terminal; bracts small, membranous. Flowers 4-or 5-merous. Pedicel green, short or nearly absent, small. Sepals not aristate at apex, persistent. Petals very small or absent. Stamens as many as and shorter than sepals. Ovary obovoid, 1-locular with 1 to several ovules; style very short, apex 2-fid. Fruit a utricle, a membranous-walled achene enclosed within persistent sepals, irregularly dehiscent or indehiscent, usually 1-seeded. Seeds brown, ovoid or flat-orbicular; testa shiny.
Herbs, annual, rarely perennial, mat-forming, glabrous or hairy. Leaves opposite, or the upper pseudoalternate by abortion; lamina elliptic to oblanceolate; stipules silvery-scarious; bracts small, scarious. Flowers in dense axillary clusters, 4 (5)-merous, unisexual or bisexual. Sepals 5, free. Petals minute, subulate, white, often absent. Stamens 2–5. Ovary 1-celled, with 1 basal ovule; style 1, bifid above; stigmas capitate. Fruit an indehiscent achene enclosed by a persistent calyx. Seed 1, obovoid, smooth and glossy.
Much like Paronychia, but the stipules between adjacent lf-bases united to form a fringed scale about as broad as long; bracts inconspicuous; stigmas 2, short, virtually sessile. 35, Old World.
Life form
Growth form herb
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Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Root system tap-root
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Environment

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Hardiness (USDA) 4-10

Usage

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Cultivation

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Germination duration (days) 10 - 12
Germination temperacture (C°) 21
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