Saponaria L.

33. Saponaria L. View in CoL 2

Annual or perennial herbs. Inflorescence dichasial, paniculate to capitate; rarely flowers solitary. Epicalyx absent. Calyx cylindrical or oblong, 5-toothed, 15- to 25-veined, without scarious commissures. Petals 5, exceeding the calyx, narrowed abruptly (or rarely gradually) into a long claw; coronal scales usually present; stamens 10; styles 2, rarely 3. Capsule cylindrical to ovoid, dehiscing with 4, rarely 6, teeth. Seeds reniform, with lateral hilum, more or less compressed.

Literature: G. Simmler, Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Math.-Nat.

Kl. (Wien) 85: 433-509 (1910).

1 Petals yellow; inflorescence capitate

2 Filaments yellow; leaves spathulate 1. bellidifolia 2 Filaments deep violet; leaves linear-lanceolate 2. lutea 1 Petals reddish or purplish, rarely white, never yellow; inflorescence various

3 Stems 1-flowered

4 Styles 3 (rarely 2); calyx not more than 20 mm; teeth obtuse

4. pumilio 4 Styles 2; calyx 20-30 mm; teeth acute 6. sicula

3 Stems 2- or more-flowered 5 Calyx less than 15 mm 6 Plant densely caespitose; flowering stems usually simple;

calyx 12-15 mm 3. caespitosa

6 Plant not caespitose; flowering stems much-branched;

calyx 7-12 mm

7 Coronal scales absent; limb of petal cuneate, scarcely distinct from claw 10. orientalis

7 Coronal scales present; limb of petal abruptly contracted into claw

8 Perennial, woody below, with conspicuous non-flowering leafy stems; pedicels and calyx glandular-pubescent

8. ocymoides

8 Annual, without conspicuous non-flowering leafy stems;

pedicels and calyx glandular-hispid 7. calabrica

5 Calyx more than 18 mm 9 Plant usually caespitose; leaves 1-veined; inflorescencebranches mostly alternate 6. sicula

9 Plant not caespitose; leaves 3-veined; inflorescencebranches mostly opposite

10 Plant ± glabrous, or hairy only in the inflorescence; limb of petal c. 10 mm 9. officinalis

10 Plant glandular-hispid; limb of petal c. 5 mm 5. glutinosa