The flowering plants of Africa / An analytical key to the genera of African phanerograms

by Franz Thonner

1. Carpels containing each a single perfect ovule and sometimes some rudimentary ones, separate, indehiscent. [Tribe ANEMONEAE.] 2
Carpels containing several perfect ovules each, dehiscing at the suture. 7
2. Petals with a pit or scale at the base or the middle. 3
Petals without a pit or scale, or wanting. Ovule pendulous. 4
3. Ovule pendulous. Carpels arranged in a spike. Sepals with a short spur, yellowish. Petals narrow. Stamens few. Pericarp without a hardened layer. Small herbs. Leaves radical, undivided, linear.—Species
2. North-west Africa. Poisonous plants. “Mousetail.” Myosurus L.
Ovule ascending. Pericarp with a hardened layer.—Species 50. Many of them are poisonous, some are used as ornamental or medicinal plants.
(Including Ceratocephalus Pers. and Ficaria Dill.) Ranunculus L.
4. Ovary and fruit with 1-3 longitudinal veins or without veins. Ovule with a single coat. 5
Ovary and fruit with 4 or more longitudinal or transverse veins. Ovule with 2 coats. Leaves alternate or all radical. 6
5. Leaves opposite. Herbs or more frequently climbing shrubs. Perianth-segments
4-8, petal-like, usually valvate in the bud.—Species 40.
Many of them are poisonous; some are used as ornamental or medicinal plants. Clematis L.
Leaves radical and alternate, or the uppermost whorled. Herbs, rarely low shrubs. Perianth-segments 4-20, imbricate in the bud.—Species
15. North, South, and East Africa. Several are poisonous; some are used as ornamental or medicinal plants. (Including Knowltonia Salisb.)
(Plate 46.) Anemone L.
6. Perianth simple, of 3-5 segments. Carpels inserted upon a flat receptacle, marked with longitudinal veins. Flowers in racemes or cymes.—Species
4. Poisonous plants, used for dyeing and in medicine. Thalictrum L.
Perianth of 5 sepals and 5-16 petals. Carpels inserted upon a cylindrical receptacle, marked with transverse veins. Flowers solitary, terminal.—Species
4. North Africa. Poisonous, also used in medicine and as ornamental plants. Adonis L.
7. (1.) Perianth consisting of 5 or more sepals and 5-8 red, not glandular petals. Stamens united at the base, slightly perigynous. Carpels several, separate, fleshy. Outer coat of the ovules longer than the inner.—Species
1. North-west Africa. Poisonous and used as an ornamental and medicinal plant. [Tribe PAEONIEAE.] Paeonia L.
Perianth consisting of 5 petal-like, usually blue sepals and 1-8 glandular petals (nectaries). Stamens free, hypogynous. Carpels not fleshy.
Outer coat of the ovules as long as or shorter than the inner. [Tribe
HELLEBOREAE.] 8
8. Perianth regular. Petals 5-8. 9
Perianth irregular. Petals 1-4, usually 2. 10
9. Petals 5, large, with a long spur. Carpels separate. Leaves ternately dissected; segments broad. Tall, perennial herbs.—Species 1. North-west
Africa. Used as an ornamental plant and in medicine. “Columbine.” Aquilegia L.
Petals 8, small, not distinctly spurred. Carpels more or less united.
Leaves pinnately dissected; segments narrow. Low annual herbs.—Species
6. North Africa. Some (especially N. sativa L.) yield condiments and medicaments, others serve as ornamental plants. Nigella L.
10. Petals with a long claw, enclosed by the sepals. Upper sepal erect, helmet-shaped.
Flowers yellow.—Species 1. North-west Africa (Morocco).
Poisonous and used in medicine. Aconitum L.
Petals sessile, projecting beyond the sepals. Upper sepal spreading, spur-shaped.—Species
18. North and East Africa. Some are poisonous or used in medicine or as ornamental plants. “Larkspur.” Delphinium L.

[FAMILY 79.] BERBERIDACEAE

Leaves alternate or all radical. Flowers in racemes, hermaphrodite. Sepals 4-9, more or less petal-like and yellow, at least the inner ones. Petals (nectaries) 4-8. Stamens 4-6, free. Anthers turned inwards, opening by valves. Ovary superior, 1-celled. Ovules 2 or more, basal or inserted along the ventral suture. Stigma 1. Fruit a capsule or a berry. Seeds with a straight embryo and copious albumen.—Genera 3, species 6. North and East Africa.

1. Stem woody, shrubby. Leaves undivided. Inflorescence terminal. Flowers
6-merous. Fruit a berry.—Species 4. North and East Africa.
They yield timber, tanning and dyeing materials, fish-poison, medicaments, and edible fruits which are also used for the preparation of drinks and confectionery. “Barberry.” [Tribe BERBERIDEAE.] Berberis L.
Stem herbaceous, low. Leaves dissected. Inflorescence lateral. Fruit
a capsule. [Tribe EPIMEDIEAE.] 2
2. Flowers 4-merous. Ovules many, inserted along the ventral suture.
Fruit opening by two valves. Seeds with an aril.—Species 1. North-west
Africa. Epimedium L.
Flowers 6-merous. Ovules few, basal. Fruit bursting irregularly. Seeds without an aril.—Species 1. North-west Africa. The tubers are used in medicine and as a substitute for soap. Leontice L.

[FAMILY 80.] MENISPERMACEAE

Stem usually woody and twining. Leaves alternate, undivided, palmately lobed or digitate, nearly always exstipulate. Flowers small, unisexual, nearly always dioecious, mostly in racemes or panicles. Sepals usually 6. Petals usually 6, smaller than the sepals, sometimes absent. Stamens generally as many as and opposite the petals. Anthers opening by slits. Carpels 3-30, separate, more rarely solitary. Ovule 1, pendulous or laterally affixed, half-inverted with superior micropyle, sometimes accompanied at first by a second which is soon suppressed. Fruits drupaceous.—Genera 27, species 100. (Plate 47.)

1. Sepals 4 in the male flowers, 1-2 in the female. Petals of the male flowers
2-4, united below, of the female 1-3. Stamens united. Carpels solitary. 2
Sepals 6-24, rarely (Stephania) in the female flowers only 3-4. Petals free or wanting. Carpels 3-30, free, rarely (Stephania) solitary. 3
2. Female flowers with 1 sepal and 1 petal, rarely with 2-3 petals, in cymes.
Leaves broad. Usually high-climbing plants.—Species 12. Tropical and South Africa. Some are used medicinally. Cissampelos L.
Female flowers with 2 sepals and 2 petals, solitary or in pairs. Leaves usually narrow. Low-growing plants.—Species 4. South Africa.
(Under Cissampelos L.) Antizoma Miers
3. Sepals 6-8, usually 6, rarely in the female flowers 3-4. 4
Sepals 9-24. 22
4. Sepals 6-8 in the male flowers, 3-4 in the female, usually equal in length.
Petals 2-4. Carpels solitary.—Species 5. Central and South Africa.
(Including Homocnemia Miers and Perichasma Miers). Stephania Lour.
Sepals 6-8 in both sexes. Petals usually 6. Carpels 3-6. 5
5. Sepals nearly equal in length. 6
Sepals very unequal in length, the outer usually much shorter than the inner. 7
6. Petals none. Filaments entirely united. Anthers opening lengthwise.
Stigmas thick, entire.—Species 5. Central Africa. (Including
Ropalandria Stapf). Dioscoreophyllum Engl.
Petals 6. Anthers opening transversely. Stigmas lobed. Leaves lobed.—Species
2. Tropical and South-east Africa. Used medicinally.
“Calumba-root.” Iatrorrhiza Miers
7. Petals 3. Stamens 3. Filaments united beyond the middle. Anthers opening by a transverse slit. Flowers in spreading panicles. Leaves sinuated or dissected.—Species 3. Equatorial West Africa. Syntriandrium Engl.
Petals 5-8, usually 6, rarely (Tiliacora) 3, but then stamens 6-9 and leaves undivided, very rarely (Penianthus) petals wanting. 8
8. Stamens 15-30. Filaments united. Anthers opening outwards by a transverse slit. Carpels 4-6. Inner sepals united nearly to the top.
Male flowers fascicled, female solitary.—Species 2. Central Africa to
Delagoa Bay. Epinetrum Hiern
Stamens 3-9, usually 6. 9
9. Filaments free or united at the base only. 10
Filaments, at least the inner ones, united to the middle or beyond. 17
10. Anthers opening by 1-2 transverse slits. 11
Anthers opening by 2 longitudinal slits. 13
11. Anthers opening by two slits. Staminodes in the female flowers 6 or 0.
Stigmas entire. Fruits ovoid, reniform, or globular; scar of the style nearly basal. Endocarp ribbed. Seeds with a scanty uniform albumen and thick-fleshy cotyledons. Flowers in fascicles sometimes arranged in racemes.—Species 5. Tropics to Delagoa Bay, Sahara and Egypt.
They yield dyes, drinks, and medicaments. (Cebatha Forsk.) (Plate 47.) Cocculus L.
Anthers opening by one slit. Fruits oblong or elliptical; scar of the style nearly terminal. 12
12. Anthers opening by a slit across the apex. Staminodes in the female flowers 6 or 0. Stigmas entire. Endocarp smooth. Seeds exalbuminous, with fleshy cotyledons. Stem erect. Leaves lanceolate to ovate, penninerved. Flowers in glomerules or false umbels.—Species 2.
West Africa. (Including Heptacyclum Engl.) Penianthus Miers
Anthers opening by a semicircular slit on the inside. Staminodes 3.
Stigmas 3-cleft. Endocarp spiny. Seeds with a ruminate albumen and thin leaf-like cotyledons. Stem climbing. Leaves cordate-ovate, 5-nerved.
Male flowers in spreading panicles, female in racemes.—Species
4. West Africa. Kolobopetalum Engl.
13. Anthers opening laterally, almost outwards. Carpels 3. Leaves cordate-ovate, palmately 5-7-nerved. 14
Anthers opening inwards. Leaves palmately 3-nerved, peltate, or penninerved. 15
14. Leaves deeply cordate at the base. Styles short. Staminodes in the female flowers 6.—Species 1. Northern Central Africa. Tinospora Miers
Leaves slightly cordate. Styles none. Filaments united at the base.—Species
7. Tropical and South-east Africa. Desmonema Miers
15. Leaves palmately 3-nerved, oblong. Carpels 3. Seeds straight.—Species
1. Madagascar. (Under Cocculus DC.) Orthogynium Baill.
Leaves peltate or penninerved. Seeds curved. 16
16. Leaves peltate. Flowers in racemes. Filaments free, flattened. Endocarp tubercled, hairy. Cotyledons thin, leaf-like.—Species 1. West Africa
(Cameroons). (Under Tinospora Miers). Platytinospora Diels
Leaves lanceolate to ovate, not peltate. Carpels 6 or more. Staminodes in the female flowers none. Fruits with a basal style-scar; endocarp smooth or wrinkled. Cotyledons thick, fleshy.—Species 12, Central
Africa. (Including Glossopholis Pierre, under Limacia Lour.) Tiliacora Colebr.
17. (9.) Outer stamens free, inner united to the middle. Carpels 9; scar of the style basal. Seeds spirally twisted, without albumen. Leaves oblong or lanceolate. Flowers in panicles.—Species 1. Madagascar. Spirospermum Thouars
Outer and inner stamens more or less united. 18
18. Outer stamens united at the base, inner up to the anthers. Anthers opening lengthwise, the inner laterally, the outer inwards. Carpels 3; endocarp spiny. Leaves cordate-ovate. Flowers fascicled in racemes.—Species
1. West Africa. (Miersiophyton Engl., under Chasmanthera
Miers). Rhigiocarya Miers
Outer and inner stamens united to the middle or beyond. 19
19. Anthers opening by a semicircular slit. Carpels 3; stigmas 3-cleft.
Endocarp spiny. Flowers in panicles. (See 12.) Kolobopetalum Engl.
Anthers opening by two longitudinal slits. Endocarp smooth, wrinkled, or tubercled. 20
20. Carpels 6-30. Scar of the style basal. Cotyledons fleshy. Anthers opening inwards. (See 16.) Tiliacora Colebr.
Carpels 3. Scar of the style terminal. Flowers fascicled in racemes. 21
21. Petals unequal. Style none. Leaves undivided. (See 14.) Desmonema Miers
Petals subequal. Stamens 6. Styles short. Stigmas cleft. Leaves broadly cordate.—Species 2. Central Africa. One species has edible tubers. Chasmanthera Hochst.
22. (3.) Inner sepals united nearly to the tip. 23
Inner sepals free or nearly so. 24
23. Stamens 6-9. Filaments united at the base. Anthers opening lengthwise.
Flowers solitary or in pairs.—Species 1. West Africa. Synclisia Benth.
Stamens 15-30. Filaments united throughout their whole length.
Anthers opening transversely. Male flowers fascicled, female solitary.
(See 8.) Epinetrum Hiern
24. Petals none. 25
Petals 3-9, usually 6. 27
25. Stamens 3. Filaments united. Anthers opening by two transverse slits. Carpels 3-4. Scar of the style near the base of the fruit. Leaves broad-cordate. Flowers in fascicled glomerules.—Species 2. West
Africa. Syrrheonema Miers
Stamens 3, with free filaments, or 5-6. Anthers opening by sometimes confluent longitudinal slits. Scar of the style terminal or lateral. 26
26. Carpels 3. Styles absent. Stigmas peltate. Anthers opening by confluent slits. Stem erect. Flowers in glomerules. (See 12.) Penianthus Miers
Carpels 6 or more. Styles present. Stem climbing. Flowers in lax cymes or in panicles.—Species 12. Tropics. (Including Pycnostylis
Pierre, Rameya Baill., and Welwitschiina Engl.) Triclisia Benth.
27. Petals 9. Stamens 21. Carpels 12.—Species 1. West Africa. Sphenocentrum Pierre
Petals 3-6. 28
28. Stamens 3. 29
Stamens 6-18. 31

MENISPERMACEAE.

FLOW. PL. AFR.