Misopates

Herbs, annual. Stems ascending or erect, glandular-pubescent. Leaves cauline, opposite proximally, alternate distally; petiole absent; blade not fleshy, not leathery, margins entire. Inflorescences terminal, racemes; bracts present. Pedicels present; bracteoles absent. Flowers bisexual; sepals 5, basally connate, calyx bilaterally symmetric, short-cupulate, lobes linear, usually longer than corolla tube in flower; corolla pink or purple with darker veins, rarely white, bilaterally symmetric, bilabiate and personate, cylindric or urceolate, 10–15 mm, tube base gibbous abaxially, not spurred, lobes 5, abaxial 3, adaxial 2; stamens 4, basally adnate to corolla, didynamous, filaments glabrous; staminode 1, lingulate; ovary 2-locular, placentation axile; stigma capitate. Fruits capsules, (5–)7–11 mm, dehiscence poricidal (adaxial locule, smaller adaxial locule sometimes indehiscent). Seeds 200–250, dark brown, angled to obovoid, wings present. x = 8.

Distribution

s Europe, Asia, n Africa, introduced also in South America, s Africa, Pacific Islands, Australia.

Discussion

Species 7 (1 in the flora).

Using molecular data, P. Vargas et al. (2004) and M. Fernández-Mazuecos et al. (2013) found Misopates to be monophyletic and sister to the Old World genera Acanthorrhinum Rothmaler and Pseudomisopates Güemes. Misopates is distinguished from related genera in the flora area by its annual habit, calyx lobes usually longer than the corolla tubes, and capsules with unequal locules.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Misopates orontium