Vaccaria Wolf

Soapwort (en), Gypsophile (fr)

Genus

Angiosperms > Caryophyllales > Caryophyllaceae

Characteristics

Herbs, annual. Taproots stout. Stems simple proximally, branched distally, terete. Leaves opposite, somewhat clasping or connate proximally into sheath, petiolate (basal) or sessile (cauline); blade 1-veined, lanceolate to oblong-or ovate-lanceolate, apex acute to obtuse. Inflorescences terminal, lax to erect, open, often flat-topped cymes; bracts paired, foliaceous; involucel bracteoles absent. Pedicels erect. Flowers: sepals connate proximally into tube, 9-17 cm, tube whitish green, 5-veined, cylindric to ovoid, 5-angled or winged, especially in fruit, commissures between sepals absent; lobes green, 1-veined, obovate to broadly triangular, shorter than tube, margins green or reddish, scarious, apex acute or acuminate; petals 5, pink to purplish, clawed, auricles absent, coronal appendages absent, blade apex entire or sometimes briefly 2-fid; nectaries at filament bases; stamens 10, adnate to petals; filaments distinct; staminodes absent; ovary 1-locular or sometimes 2-locular proximally; styles 2(-3), filiform, 10-12 mm, glabrous proximally; stigmas 2(-3), linear along adaxial surface of styles, papillate (30×). Capsules oblong to subglobose, exocarp opening by 4(-6) slightly spreading teeth, endocarp opening irregularly; carpophore present. Seeds ca. 10, black, subglobose, laterally compressed, papillose, marginal wing absent, appendage absent; embryo peripheral, curved. x = 15.
More
Herbs, annual, glabrous. Leaves opposite, somewhat clasping or connate, lanceolate to oblong, petiolate to sessile; bracts herbaceous to subscarious. Flowers in spreading, dichasial cymes, 5-merous, bisexual; pedicels usually 10–30 mm long. Epicalyx absent. Calyx tubular, inflated below, with 5 winged veins, not scarious between veins, 5-lobed. Petals 5, pink to purple, exceeding calyx; coronal scales absent. Stamens 10. Ovary 1-celled, with several ovules; styles 2. Capsule subglobose to ovoid, opening by 4 short teeth; carpophore very short or absent. Seeds several, subglobose, finely tuberculate.
Glabrous annual. Leaves exstipulate. Epicalyx absent. Calyx inflated below, whitish with 5 green wings. Petals 5, pink or purple, long-clawed with entire apex; coronal scales absent. Stamens 10. Ovary unilocular, except at the base where it is 2-locular; styles 2. Capsule ovoid to spherical, pericarp consisting of a thick papery exocarp, dehiscing with 4 teeth, and a thin endocarp, dehiscing irregularly. Seeds numerous, reniform or globose.
Herbs annual. Stems erect, dichotomously branched. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, base slightly clasping. Inflorescence a corymbose dichasium. Calyx narrowly ovate, 5-toothed, 5-winged at angles, inflated below after anthesis. Petals 5, long clawed. Stamens 10. Ovary 1-loculed; ovules numerous. Styles 2. Capsule ovoid, dehiscing with 4 teeth. Seeds numerous, globose, tuberculate.
Infl a loose, open, paniculate cyme; cal strongly 5-ribbed, sharply wing-angled; pet pink or rose, without auricles or appendages; stamens 10; styles 2(3); capsule firm, dehiscent by 4(6) ascending teeth; seeds large, globose; much branched annuals. 4, mainly temp. Eurasia.
Life form annual
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) 8-12

Usage

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Cultivation

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Images

Vaccaria unspecified picture

Distribution

Vaccaria world distribution map, present in Australia and China

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30113794-2
WFO ID wfo-4000039922
COL ID -
BDTFX ID 87373
INPN ID 198840
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Vaccaria

Lower taxons

Vaccaria hispanica