Turneraceae

Abstract

Herbs, shrubs or rarely trees, erect or decumbent, frequently with serial axillary buds; hairs usually present, simple in most genera, sometimes stellate, forward directed-stellate in Piriqueta, often glandular. Leaves alternate, simple, entire, crenate or toothed, sometimes pinnatifid or revolute-ericoid, rarely very narrow, sessile or petiolate, pinnately veined, sometimes glandular-punctate, often with extra floral nectaries; stipules usually small or 0, well-developed in Erblichia and some Turnera. Flowers mostly solitary, occasionally epiphyllous, sometimes in monochasial or dichasial inflorescences or in capitula or racemes. Flowers homostylous or heterostylous, regular, perfect, tetracyclic, generally upright, the pedicels provided with 2 prophylls; sepals 5, frequently connate, lobes quincuncial; petals 5, unguiculate, contorted, sometimes ligulate, free or the clawadnate to the calyx and then forming a 10-to pluriveined, cylindric, campanulate or funnel-shaped floral tube, the floral tube sometimes with fringed corona or 5 glands or lobes between corona and androecium; stamens 5, antesepalous, sometimes exserted, the filaments free or partially adnate to the calyx or floral tube; anthers tetrasporangiate, commonly dorsi fixed but nearly basi fixed in Erblichia and Turnera series Turnera, dehiscing longitudinally; gynoecium 3-carpellate, ovary superior or slightly half-inferior, 1-locular; ovules anatropous, crassinucellate, 1-numerous on parietal placentae, rarely (Stapfiella)1 basal ovule; stylodia 3, distinct, filiform, connivent or divergent at the base; stigmas generally brush-like. Fruits 3-valved loculicidal capsules, sometimes dressed with the persistent torn perianth, dehiscence generally from apex. Seeds 1-many, obovoid, straight or curved; seed coat crustaceous and dark brown or blackish when ripe; aril plump, membranous when dry; endosperm fleshy; embryo straight.