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Taxonomy

Genera

Atriplex

Herbs or shrubs, annual or perennial, monoecious or dioecious, often with bladderlike hairs that collapse to form silvery or scurfy (mealy) vesture, less often with elongate trichomes. Leaves persistent or tardily deciduous, alternate, partially opposite, or opposite, sessile or petiolate; blade entire, serrate, or lobed, with venation either of Kranz-type or normal dicotyledonous type, axillary buds inconspicuous or lacking. Inflorescences axillary or terminal; flowers borne in axillary clusters or glomerules, or in terminal spikes or spicate panicles. Staminate flowers with 3-5-parted calyx, ebracteate; stamens 3-5. Pistillate flowers lacking perianth, pistil naked, or in few species with (1-) 3-5-lobed perianth, commonly enclosed within pair of foliaceous bracteoles; stigmas 2. Fruiting bracteoles enlarged in fruit, of various shapes and variously connate or not, thickened, and appendaged; pericarp free, tightly enclosed in the fruiting bracteoles. Seeds flattened, mainly vertical; radicle inferior, lateral, or superior. x = 9.^[1] [more]

At least 1,042 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Atriplex.

More info about the Genus Atriplex may be found here.

Axyris

Herbs, annual, monoecious, covered with rusty-colored, stellate, and whitish simple trichomes. Stems ascending, not jointed or armed, slender. Leaves alternate, petiolate; blade ovate-lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, base tapered, margins entire, plane or revolute, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences glomerules, cymes, or flowers solitary. Staminate flowers in terminal glomerules or at end of pistillate cymes. Pistillate flowers solitary in upper leaf axils or forming cymes commingled with staminate flowers. Flowers unisexual; staminate with perianth segments 3-5, stamens 2-5; pistillate with bracteoles 2, perianth segments 3-4, stigmas 2, filiform. Fruiting structures persistent, accrescent perianth surrounding utricle; utricles winged, obovate to cuneate, laterally compressed; pericarp adherent. Seeds vertical, ovoid; seed coat grayish, granular; embryo horseshoe-shaped; perisperm copious. x = 9.^[2] [more]

At least 20 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Axyris.

More info about the Genus Axyris may be found here.

Bassia

Herbs annual. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear to lanceolate, complanate, semiterete, or terete, membranous or fleshy, densely hairy. Flowers solitary or forming a spike, sessile, without bracts or bractlets, bisexual. Perianth discoid, 5-lobed, hairy; segments equal; abaxial appendages uncinate, subulate, or triangular in fruit. Stamens 5. Ovary broadly ovoid; style short; stigmas 2 or 3. Utricle depressed ovoid; pericarp membranous, free from seed. Seed horizontal, depressed globose; embryo annular.^[3] [more]

At least 180 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Bassia.

More info about the Genus Bassia may be found here.

Beta

Herbs, annual, biennial, or perennial, often with fleshy, thickened roots, glabrous throughout. Stems erect or procumbent, not jointed, not armed, not fleshy. Leaves alternate, petiolate or sessile; blade ovate-cordate to rhombic-cuneate, margins ± entire, apex obtuse . Inflorescences spikelike cymes or glomerules, ebracteate at least in distal 1/2. Flowers bisexual, bracteate; perianth segments 3-5, distinct, sometimes petaloid, rounded or keeled abaxially, wings and spines absent; stamens 5; ovary semi-inferior; stigmas usually 2-3(-5), connate basally. Fruiting structures achenes, connate with receptacle, often enclosed by swollen perianth. Seeds horizontal, orbicular or reniform; seed coat dark brown, smooth; embryo ± annular, perisperm copious. x = 9.^[4] [more]

At least 304 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Beta.

More info about the Genus Beta may be found here.

Camphorosma

Herbs or subshrubs. Stem erect, densely tomentose; branches ascending. Leaves alternate, solitary, or fascicular on dwarf branches, sessile, linear, semiterete. Inflorescence spicate, without bractlets. Flowers bisexual. Perianth 4-lobed, herbaceous; segments equal, or lateral 2 longer than others, oblong, remaining unchanged in fruit. Stamens 4; filaments exserted, filiform; anthers oblong. Ovary ovoid; ovule sessile; style long; stigmas 2, filiform. Utricle compressed; pericarp membranous, free from seed. Seed vertical; testa leathery; embryo horseshoe-shaped; radicle inferior.^[5] [more]

At least 25 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Camphorosma.

More info about the Genus Camphorosma may be found here.

Chenopodium

Herbs, annual or perennial [rarely suffruticose, or small trees], farinaceously pubescent with small white inflated hairs or glabrous. Stems erect to prostrate, branched (rarely simple), not jointed, not armed, not fleshy. Leaves alternate, petiolate or sessile, not fleshy; blade linear, oblong, lanceolate, ovate, triangular, trullate, or rhombic, flattened, not jointed, not spinose, base truncate, cordate, hastate, or cuneate, margins entire, dentate, sinuate, or serrate, apex acute to acuminate or obtuse, occasionally lobed. Inflorescences spicate and terminal or axillary glomerules; bracts usually absent or leaflike but narrower than leaves. Flowers bisexual (rarely unisexual, then terminal flower male or bisexual and lateral flowers female), bracteoles absent; perianth segments (3-) 5, usually connate at base, sometimes almost to middle or beyond, not imbricate, rounded or keeled abaxially, wings and spines absent; stamens 5 or fewer; ovary superior; style 1 or absent; stigmas 2(-5), filiform. Fruits utricles or achenes, often enclosed in infolded perianth, indehiscent or irregularly dehiscent; pericarp membranaceous or chartaceous, adherent or nonadherent. Seeds horizontal or vertical [rarely oblique], lenticular to subglobose; seed coat black, brown-black, or reddish brown; embryo annular or hippocrepiform (horseshoe-shaped), surrounding copious farinaceous perisperm; radicle inferior or centrifugal. x = 9.^[6] [more]

At least 1,069 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Chenopodium.

More info about the Genus Chenopodium may be found here.

Corispermum

Herbs, annual, with dendroid (branched), sometimes almost stellate hairs, occasionally glabrous, or becoming glabrous at maturity. Stems erect or ascending, rarely prostrate, branched (rarely simple), not jointed, not armed, not fleshy. Leaves alternate, sessile; blade [obovate-elliptic, elliptic], lanceolate, linear-lanceolate, linear, or filiform, flat or convolute at maturity, base truncate, margins entire [indistinctly undulate], apex acute. Inflorescences terminal spikes; flowers solitary in axils of ovate, lanceolate, or linear leaflike bracts (also in axils of middle and lower leaves and branches in C. ochotense and occasionally in some other species). Flowers bisexual; perianth segments absent or 1(-3), scalelike; stamens 1-3(-5) ; ovary superior; stigmas and styles 2. Fruiting structures: style bases at maturity forming characteristic bifid rostrum ("beak") at apex of achenes [concealed by wing in some species], achenes largely exposed, vertical, sessile, convex to almost plane abaxially, plane, ± concave adaxially, lenticular, ovate, obovate, elliptic, or orbiculate [elongate], margins winged or wingless, apex acute, glabrous and shiny, or maculate and/or slightly verrucose; wing (if present) with entire, undulate, or minutely erose-denticulate margins (in some species emarginate at apex, or long-adnate to style bases) ; pericarp strongly accrescent to seed or small portions not accrescent, forming small whitish bladders ("warts"). Seeds vertical; embryo horseshoe-shaped or almost circular; perisperm abundant. x = 9.^[7] [more]

At least 141 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Corispermum.

More info about the Genus Corispermum may be found here.

Cycloloma

Herbs, annual, polygamo-monoecious, villose or tomentulose, becoming glabrous at maturity. Stems erect, much branched, especially in inflorescence, not jointed, not armed, not fleshy. Leaves alternate, petiolate or almost sessile; blade oblong-ovate, oblong, or lanceolate, base cuneate, margins sinuate-dentate, apex acute or mucronate. Inflorescences diffusely branched, paniculate, interrupted, linear spikes; flowers solitary or few in axils of short bracts. Flowers bisexual or pistillate; perianth segments 5, connate to above middle; stamens 5; stigmas 3. Fruiting structure: connate perianth segments enclosing utricle, at maturity forming horizontal, membranous, circular wing; pericarp membranous, free. Seeds horizontal, ovate-lenticular or globose-lenticular; seed coat black, smooth or indistinctly sculptured; embryo annular, perisperm copious. x = 9.^[8] [more]

At least 3 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Cycloloma.

More info about the Genus Cycloloma may be found here.

Dysphania

Herbs annual or short-lived perennial, usually aromatic, covered with stalked, glandular trichomes and/or subsessile or sessile glands and/or uniseriate, multicellular trichomes, sometimes glabrescent. Stems branched, rarely nearly simple, erect, ascending, decumbent, or prostrate. Leaves alternate; leaf blade simple, margin entire, dentate, serrate, or pinnately lobed. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, loosely flowered, simple or compound cymes, spikelike, condensed cymes, or dense, axillary glomerules; bracts absent, but glomerules often subtended by reduced leaves ( leaflike bracts ) . Flowers bisexual (rarely functionally unisexual) . Perianth segments 1-5, usually united only at base or nearly free, in some species fused to form a sac surrounding utricle. Stamens 1-5. Ovary superior, unilocular with 1 basal ovule; styles 1-3, stigmas 1-3, filiform. Fruit a utricle, often enclosed in perianth; pericarp membranous, non-adherent. Seed 1, horizontal or vertical, subglobose to lenticular; embryo annular or incompletely so, surrounding copious perisperm; radicle inferior or centrifugal.^[9] [more]

At least 192 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Dysphania.

More info about the Genus Dysphania may be found here.

Grayia

Shrubs, dioecious or monoecious, spinescent; herbage scurfy-puberulent when young, mostly with branched hairs, becoming glabrate. Stems erect, much branched, woody throughout, not jointed, forming a rounded bush; younger branches ribbed, rigid; lateral branches becoming spinescent. Leaves alternate, succulent or coriaceous; blade with midveins prominent, spatulate to oblanceolate, sometimes narrowly so, base gradually tapering to petiole, margins entire, apex rounded to obtuse. Inflorescences terminal, spikelike clusters. Flowers unisexual; staminate in 2-5-flowered clusters in bract axils, perianth 4(-5) -parted, equaling or slightly longer than stamens, stamens 4-5; pistillate in 1 -few-flowered clusters per glomerule, each closely invested by 2 wholly united bracts, perianth absent; stigma 2-lobed. Fruiting structure: bracts forming flattened, samaralike fruiting structure around utricle, margins thickened, spongy within; pericarp free. Seeds vertical, compressed-lenticular, seed coat brown, tuberculate; embryo annular; perisperm copious. x = 18.^[10] [more]

At least 11 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Grayia.

More info about the Genus Grayia may be found here.

Humulus

Herbs, taprooted annuals or rhizomatous perennials, rightward-twining. Stems usually branched, armed with rigid 2-branched, stalked hairs that facilitate climbing. Leaves simple; petioles often twining, with 2-branched hairs. Leaf blade mostly cordate, palmately lobed, sometimes unlobed; surfaces abaxially resin-dotted and×or gland-dotted. Inflorescences: staminate inflorescences axillary and terminal, cymose panicles, erect to pendent, (10-) 20-100+-flowered, flowers small; pistillate axillary, spikes or racemes, flowers solitary or paired, short-pedicellate, subtended by bracts and bracteoles. Staminate and pistillate flowers usually on different plants. Achenes lenticular or terete, ensheathed by brownish or sometimes mottled persistent perianth; embryo coiled. x = 10.^[11] [more]

At least 50 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Humulus.

More info about the Genus Humulus may be found here.

Kniphofia

Kniphofia (Tritoma, Red hot poker, Torch lily, Poker plant) is a genus of plants in the family Asphodelaceae that includes 70 or more species native to Africa. Some species have been commercially used for horticultural use and are commonly known for their bright, rocket-shaped flowers. [more]

At least 463 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Kniphofia.

More info about the Genus Kniphofia may be found here.

Krascheninnikovia

Subshrubs, monoecious or dioecious, herbage densely tomentose, hairs stellate. Stems erect, not jointed or armed; basal branches woody, flowering branches herbaceous. Leaves alternate, petiolate; blade linear to narrowly lanceolate, not fleshy, base truncate, margins entire, revolute, apex blunt. Inflorescences axillary clusters or small spikes. Flowers unisexual; staminate flowers with bractlets absent, perianth 4-parted, stamens 4; pistillate flowers enclosed in 2 partially connate, slightly keeled, densely hirsute bractlets with free tips hornlike, perianth absent, stigmas 2, elongate. Fruiting structures ovate, flat utricles; pericarp free, thin . Seeds vertical, ovate; seed coat brown, covered with white hairs; embryo annular, perisperm copious. x = 9.^[12] [more]

At least 15 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Krascheninnikovia.

More info about the Genus Krascheninnikovia may be found here.

Maianthemum

Herbs, perennial, terrestrial or aquatic, 1-12.5 dm, from rhizomes. Rhizomes persistent, sympodial, spreading and filiform, or densely clumped, cylindrical, and fleshy. Stems simple, arching or erect. Leaves 2-15, cauline, distichous, clasping or short-petiolate; blade usually ovate, glabrous or weakly pubescent, base rounded or cordiform, margins flat or undulate, denticulate or entire, apex acute or caudate.