Zygophyllum portulacoides

Interesting Facts

Description

Genus Zygophyllum

Perennial , rarely annual , diffusely branched, xerophytic or halophytic undershrubs or prostrate herbs. Leaves opposite, usually 1-2-foliolate, rarely more than 2-foliolate or simple : stipules rarely thorny; leaflets cylindrical or flat, usually fleshy or leathery. Flowers solitary axillary , pedicellate , actinomorphic , hypogynous, 4-5-merous, white or yellow, sometimes with a purple or red basal spot; disc fleshy, angular, cup-shaped or concave . Sepals 4-5, persistent or deciduous, imbricate. Petals 4-5, free , with or without a claw , imbricate or contorted. Stamens 8-10, inserted at the base of the disc, filaments usually longer than petals, filiform , usually appendaged with a membranous scale within the base, rarely unappendaged, anthers oblong-ovate to rotundate . Carpels 4-5, united ; ovary sessile, 4-5-angled, (2.3-) 4-5-loculed, each locule with 2 or more, superposed , pendulous ovules; style angular, stigma minute. Fruit 4-5-angled or winged , septicidal , loculicidal or indehiscent capsule, with 1 or more seeds in each locule. Seeds pendulous, endospermous; embryo straight with oblong cotyledons.

A genus of about 100 species; distributed in deserts and steppes from Mediterranean to Central Asia, South Africa and Australia.[1]

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota () - Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Plantae () - Haeckel, 1866 - Plants
  - Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae () - Cavalier-Smith, 1981
    - Phylum: Tracheophyta () - Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - Vascular Plants
      - Subphylum: Euphyllophytina ()
        Infraphylum: Radiatopses () - Kenrick & Crane, 1997
        Class: Magnoliopsida () - Brongniart, 1843 - Dicotyledons
        Subclass: Rosidae () - Takhtajan, 1967
        Superorder: Geranianae () - (Dumortier, 1829) Takhtajan, 1997
        Order: Zygophyllales () - Takhtajan, 1997
        Suborder: Zygophyllineae () -
        Family: Zygophyllaceae () - R. Brown, in Flinders, 1814
        Subfamily: Zygophylloideae ()
        Tribe: Zygophylleae ()
        Genus: Zygophyllum () - C. Linnaeus, 1753 - Beancaper
        Specific epithet: portulacoides - Forssk.
        Botanical name: - Zygophyllum portulacoides Forssk.