Key B: Key to the Podostemaceae Genera of Cameroon

(adapted from C. Cusset 1987: Podostemaceae. Flore du Caméroun 30: 51-95; translated and modified by R. Rutishauser)

1. Tepals 2 or occasionally 3 or 4, not imbricate and restricted to one side of the flower, linear to subulate; flower buds totally enclosed in a spathella; capsules opening by 2 valves 2

-- Tepals 3, imbricate and surrounding the flower buds, ovate to oblong-obovate; flower buds not enclosed in a spathella; capsules opening by 3 valves Tristicha (1sp.)

2. Ovaries and capsules globose, smooth 3

-- Ovaries and capsules globose or ellipsoidal, capsules with longitudinal ribs 4

3. Flowers erect or rarely oblique within the unruptured spathellas; gynophore very short Letestuella (1sp.)

-- Flowers inverted or strongly inclined within the unruptured spathellas; gynophore long Leiothylax (1 out of 3spp. in Cameroon)

4. Ovaries and capsules globose to subglobose 5

-- Ovaries and capsules ovoid-ellipsoidal to fusiform, or flattened 6

5. Flowers erect or oblique within the unruptured spathellas; ovary and capsule sessile or nearly so, pedicel very short (exceeding to 3 mm after anthesis) Djinga (1sp.)

-- Flowers inverted within the unruptured spathellas; pedicel very long (up to 1.5 cm long after anthesis) Zehnderia (1sp.)

6. Flowers erect or rarely oblique within the unruptured spathellas; ovaries and capsules ellipsoidal to fusiform, sessile or with short gynophore; pedicels always short (1-2 mm) Saxicolella (3 out of 6 spp. in Cameroon)

-- Flowers inverted within the unruptured spathellas; pedicels well developed (at least after anthesis) 7

7. Ovaries and capsules flattened laterally; capsules with or without winged nerves 8

-- Ovaries and capsules terete, not flattened; capsules without winged nerves 9

8. Capsules with winged middle nerves; wings longer than the capsule Winklerella (1sp.)

-- Capsules not winged Macropodiella (2 out of 6spp. in Cameroon)

9. Flowers secund along the shoot; andropodium usually less than 1 mm long; stigmas conical, erect, rigid; capsules cylindrical to oblong Dicraeanthus (2spp.)

-- Flowers arranged around the shoot, rarely secund; andropodium usually much exceeding 1 mm; stigmas linear, spreading or reflexed, flexible; capsules obovoid t o ovoid or fusiform Ledermanniella (20 out of 46spp. in Cameroon; 14 spp. in subgenus Ledermanniella , 6 spp. in subgenus Phyllosoma; see Keys D, E, F and G )