46. Polypleurum Warming
Polypleurum Warming, Overs. Kong. Danske Vid. Selsk. Skr. VI, 11(1): 464 (1901).
Podostemum auctt. Ind., non A. Michaux (1803).
Roots usually ribbon-like or sometimes thread-like, usually lower part closely attached to rock with upper part free, or sometimes entirely attached to rock; free parts usually repeatedly forked, up to 50 cm long, rather tough, sometimes resembling Fucus; holdfasts often branched; stems short, developed endogenously at sometimes almost regular intervals along or near margin of root, bearing 2--8 or rarely more leaves; vegetative stems 0; flowering stems unbranched, less than 5 mm long. Leaves imbricate, scale-like, entire or lobed, with or without a caducous, elongate apical appendage. Spathellas sessile, ovoid to club-shaped, opening irregularly at tip. Flowers solitary, pedicellate; pedicel up to 1 cm long in fruit; tepals 2, 1 each side of andropodium or stamen, flattened, subulate; stamens 2 (1), when 2 then borne on an andropodium; pollen in dyads. Capsules ellipsoidal, 2--3 mm long, sometimes laterally somewhat flattened; valves equal and persistent, each with 3, 5 or 7 ribs; style short or 0; stigmas linear or subconical. Seeds up to 200 or more. About eight spp., Sri Lanka, India & Thailand. Podostemum munnarense (Nagendran & Arekal) Mathew & Satheesh belongs to Polypleurum. |
