Lycianthes

(Dunal) Hassler

Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève 20: 180. 1917. name conserved

Common names: Potato bush ginger leaf
Introduced
Etymology: Genus Lycium and Greek anthos, flower, presumably alluding to resemblance of spinescent L. lycioides
Basionym: Solanum subg. Lycianthes Dunal in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle Prodr. 13(1): 29. 1852
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 14.
Revision as of 21:34, 6 October 2024 by imported>Volume Importer
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Herbs, perennial, or shrubs [vines, epiphytes], rhizomatous or stoloniferous [tuberous roots], hairs simple or branched [stellate], glandular or eglandular. Stems creeping, erect, or ascending, branched. Leaves alternate or geminate; blade margins usually entire and undulate-wavy [remotely dentate]. Inflorescences axillary, solitary flowers or subumbellate. Flowers 5-merous, radially symmetric except for unequal stamens; calyx accrescent or somewhat accrescent, campanulate to obconic (becoming rotate to bowl-shaped in fruit), 10-veined, 5 or 10 veins often extending into 5 or 10 appendages that protrude from calyx below truncate rim; corolla white to pale yellow, or purplish to blue (with a yellow center in L. rantonnetii) [sometimes with contrasting green or purple markings], radial, rotate, or reflexed [campanulate], entire or lobed; stamens inserted near base of corolla limb, equal or unequal; anthers basifixed, lanceolate to elliptic, dehiscing by pores [by longitudinal slits]; ovary 2-carpellate; style straight or curved; stigma capitate to slightly lobed [deeply lobed]. Fruits berries, globose to ellipsoid, fleshy or juicy. Seeds lenticular-compressed to round or angular, (sclerotic granules sometimes present in outer part of mesocarp [these rarely enclosing seeds]). x = 12.

Distribution

Introduced; Mexico, Central America, South America, se Asia, Pacific Islands, Australia.

Discussion

Species 150–200 (2 in the flora).

The flowers of Lycianthes often open and close daily for two to five days in a row; outside the flora area, they are sometimes open only in early morning.

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Herbs; corollas greenish white or yellow-white to white. Lycianthes asarifolia
1 Shrubs; corollas violet-purple to blue, with yellow center. Lycianthes rantonnetii
... more about "Lycianthes"
Ellen A. Dean +
(Dunal) Hassler +
Solanum subg. Lycianthes +
Potato bush +  and ginger leaf +
Mexico +, Central America +, South America +, se Asia +, Pacific Islands +  and Australia. +
Genus Lycium and Greek anthos, flower, presumably alluding to resemblance of spinescent L. lycioides +
Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève +
Introduced +
Lycianthes +
Solanaceae +