Forsskaolea
Forsskaolea is a small genus of 6 species of perennial herbs in the nettle family with non-stinging hairs and dot-like concretions of mineral matter on their green parts.
Description
- Leaves
- The leaves have three ribs, are alternate, scalloped and with toothlike projections along the edges.
- Flowers
- Budding flowers are flat-topped clusters and bisexual and from the base stem, enclosed in bell shaped, densely hairy, rings of 3-6 bracts. Flowers are minute and unisexual with the female surrounded by a ring of male flowers. Male flowers have 3-5 lobed calyx and the females have none. Solitary stamen, upright wooly ovaries with no style.
- Seeds
- Achenes oval to elliptical, flattened, densely hairy and enveloped in wooly bracts.[2]
Distribution
Forsskaolea have found homes in the southern parts of the Palearctic from the Canary Isles and southeast Spain then eastwards to Pakistan and western India.[2]
Selected species
- Forsskaolea angustifolia Retz.
- Forsskaolea candida L.f.
- Forsskaolea hereroensis Schinz
- Forsskaolea procridifolia Webb
- Forsskaolea tenacissima L.
- Forsskaolea viridis Ehrenb. ex Webb[4]
References
External links