Aconogonon campanulatum (Hook. fil.) Hara

Habit

Herb

Family Description

Herbs, subshrubs or climbers, sometimes spinous. leaves simple, entire, margins rarely sinuate or serrulate, alternate or rarely subopposite, venation pinnate; stipules usually united around stem to form sheath (ocrea). Flowers in racemes, panicles or cluster, actinomorphic, bixexual, sometimes unixexual, jointed on to pedicel; inflorescence rarely bulbiliferous; perianth segments 3-6, usually connate below, sometimes enlarging in fruit, membranous, fleshy or coriaceous. Stamens 1-9, adnate to perianth. Ovary superior, unilocular; styles 2-3, simple, minutely capitate, rarely hooked or fimbriate; ovule solitary, basal. Fruit a trigonous, flattened or biconvex achene.

Genus Description

Herbs or subshrubs, rarely dioecious. Leaves elliptic or ovate; ocreae cylindrical, truncate or lanceolate, membranous. Flowers in panicles. Perianth 5-partite, connate in lower half or near base. Stamens 7-8. Styles 2-3, short, capitate. Achenes trigonous or biconvex, enclosed by persistent perianth.

Species description

Prostrate or suberect herb, 0.3-1.0m. Leaves elliptic-ovate, 5-12 x 2-5cm, acuminate, base rounded, appressed pilose above, closely white or brownish tomentose beneath; petioles up to 2cm; ocreae 7-12mm, truncate, sparsely pubescent. Flowers in sparsely branched panicles. Perianth campanulate, c 5mm, pink, pedicels c3mm, scarcely exserted from acute bracts. Achenes strongly trigonous, c 5.5mm, slightly exserted from perianth.