Commicarpus

Standley

Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 373. 1909.

Etymology: Greek kommi, gum, and carpos, fruit, in reference to gummy-glandular fruit
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 32. Mentioned on page 14, 15, 17.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA4 P5 Cyphomeris gypsophiloides.jpegCyphomeris gypsophiloides
Cyphomeris crassifolia
Commicarpus scandens
Acleisanthes longiflora
Acleisanthes acutifolia
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn

Herbs or shrubs, perennial, suffrutescent, glabrous or glabrate [pubescent], from stout, ± woody taproots. Stems decumbent to erect, often reclining on or clambering in other vegetation, unarmed, without glutinous bands on internodes. Leaves petiolate, thin, subequal in each pair, base ± symmetric. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, pedunculate, umbellate [capitate, verticellate]; bracts deciduous, 1 at base of each pedicel, distinct, narrowly lanceolate [ovate], thinly herbaceous. Flowers bisexual, chasmogamous; perianth radially symmetric, short funnelform or campanulate, constricted beyond ovary, tube flared to 5-lobed limb; stamens 2 (–3) [–6], exserted; styles exserted beyond anthers; stigmas peltate. Fruits clavate, sometimes slightly curved, finely 10-striate or ribbed, stiffly coriaceous, glabrous or minutely puberulent, with large stalked or subsessile, very sticky glands, especially near apex.

Distribution

sw United States, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Eurasia, Australia

Discussion

Species 30–35 (1 in the flora).

Commicarpus is a pantropical genus of arid areas and is most diverse in Africa and the Middle East. A. Heimerl (1889) regarded it as Boerhavia sect. Adenophorae Heimerl. F. R. Fosberg (1978) argued for its continued placement within Boerhavia, particularly for nonspecialists, but most authors now recognize Commicarpus as distinct. As R. D. Meikle (1978) discussed, the funnelform perianth, the long-exserted stamens and style, the obscurely 10-ribbed, fusiform or clavate fruits with the large viscid glands, and the semiwoody nature of the plants all distinguish Commicarpus from Boerhavia.

"thin" is not a number."thin" is not a number.

... more about "Commicarpus"
Richard W. Spellenberg +
Standley +
glutinous +
unequal +
woody +, leathery +  and fleshy +
undulate;plane;linear;ovate or more or less round +
succulent +  and fleshy +
deciduous +
distinct +
lanceolate +
corollalike +  and petaloid +
sw United States +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +, South America +, Eurasia +  and Australia +
curved +  and straight +
Greek kommi, gum, and carpos, fruit, in reference to gummy-glandular fruit +
inconspicuous +  and showy +
1 +  and 80 +
chasmogamous +  and bisexual +
puberulent +  and glabrous +
clavate +
coriaceous +
subsessile +, stalked +  and large +
umbellate +  and pedunculate +
subequal +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
sinuate +  and entire +
campanulate +
constricted +
Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. +
harriman1999a +
thick +  and thin +
fibrous;fleshy +
membranaceous +
ribbed +, 10-ribbed +  and 5-ribbed +
pubescent +, glabrous +  and warty +
wrinkled +
clambering +, reclining +, decumbent +  and erect +
fusiform +  and linear +
filiform +
Commicarpus +
Nyctaginaceae +
gland-tipped +
flared;5-lobed +
shrub +, suffrutescent +  and herb +
glabrate +  and glabrous +