Biology:Mecardonia

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Short description: Genus of flowering plants

Mecardonia
Mecardonia procumbens habit.jpg
Mecardonia procumbens
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Tribe: Gratioleae
Genus: Mecardonia
Ruiz & Pav.
Species[1][2]

Mecardonia acuminata
Mecardonia berroi
Mecardonia caespitosa
Mecardonia exilis
Mecardonia flagellaris
Mecardonia grandiflora
Mecardonia herniarioides
Mecardonia kamogawae
Mecardonia ovata
Mecardonia procumbens
syn. M ovata, M dianthera
Mecardonia pubescens
Mecardonia serpylloides
Mecardonia tenella

Mecardonia acuminata subsp. peninsularis

Mecardonia (axilflower) is a genus of herbaceous plants in the family Plantaginaceae. 31 species have been described,[3] of which 12 are accepted. Its distribution is predominantly in South America, and South East United States , including Florida [4] [5] and Alabama[6] [7] but may be found as far north as Virginia. [8](see map)[9] Five species are found in Argentina[10] and three in the US.[11]

Description

They are herbaceous procumbent glabrous plants. They are mostly blackened when they are dry. Their stems are 5–40 cm in length and they have 4-alate leaves. Ovate leaves 7–25 mm in length and 3–16 mm wide, with a crenate edge; petiolate. Solitary axillary flowers, pedicles 8-20 (-26) mm in length, basally bibracteolate; 5-lobed calyx, with unequal lobes, more or less free to the base, imbricate, the adaxial lobe widely lanceate to ovate, 5-9.5 mm long and 3–6 mm wide, slightly accrescent, the 2 middle lobes longer and overlapping, the 2 abaxial lobes nearly the same size as the adaxial and overlapping the middle lobes; 5-lobed corolla, 7–8 mm long, yellow with purple at the throat, bearded at the mouth; 4 fertile stamens. Ovoid fruit capsule, 5–7 mm long, loculicidal; ovoid, reticulated seeds.[12]

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Ruiz & Pav., published in Florae Peruvianae, et Chilensis Prodromus 95. 1794. [12][13] The type species is: Mecardonia procumbens Ruiz & Pav. The genus is named after Antonio Meca y Cardona, who founded the botanical gardens in Barcelona, in 1784.[14][15] [16]

Rossow (1987) in his taxonomic revision of the genus, recognized ten species. A new species, M kamogawae, was identified in Argentina by Greppi and Hagiwara (2011).

Cultivation

Sold as an ornamental garden flower, such as Mecardonia Magic Carpet Yellow, as annuals in colder areas.

Species

  • Mecardonia acuminata (Walter) Small.
    • Mecardonia acuminata acuminata[11]
    • Mecardonia acuminata peninsularis[11]
    • Mecardonia acuminata microphylla.[11]
  • Mecardonia berroi Marchesi
  • Mecardonia caespitosa (Cham.) Pennell
  • Mecardonia exilis (Brandegee) Pennell
  • Mecardonia flagellaris (Cham. & Schltdl.) Rossow
  • Mecardonia grandiflora (Benth.) Pennell
  • Mecardonia herniarioides (Cham.) Pennell
  • Mecardonia procumbens (Mill.) Small
  • Mecardonia pubescens Rossow
  • Mecardonia serpylloides (Cham. & Schltdl.) Pennell
  • Mecardonia tenella (Cham. & Schltdl.) Pennell

References

Sources

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q9030962 entry