Bufonia L.

5. Bufonia L. View in CoL 1

Annual or perennial herbs; rarely biennial; stems usually branched from the base; flowering stems erect. Leaves linearsetaceous, appressed, those of the flowering stems shorter than the internodes. Inflorescence a cymose panicle; pedicels short; flowers self-pollinated. Sepals 4, the two outer being shortest, lanceolate, with a hyaline margin; petals 4, equalling or shorter than the sepals, white; stamens 2-8; styles 2. Capsule included, dehiscingwith 2 teeth. Seeds 1-2, oblong, compressed, tuberculate. All species occur in dry, sandy or rocky habitats.

1 Annual, or rarely biennial, without vegetative stems at time of flowering

2 Sepalswith5 veins,3 of which continueintothe upperhalf;

seeds usually more than 1 - 5 mm, with prominent, obtuse tubercles 1. paniculata

2 Sepals 3-veined; veins confluent in upper half; seeds 1-1 - 5 mm,

with small, acute tubercles 2. tenuifolia

1 Perennial, with vegetative stems at time of flowering 3 Flowering stems usually unbranched, arcuate 7. stricta 3 Floweringstems branchedabove,straight 4 Petals exceeding outer sepals 4. macropetala

4 Petals not exceeding outer sepals

5 Inflorescence dense; branches strict; flowers overlapping

3. tuberculata

5 Inflorescence lax; branches usually divergent; flowers not overlapping

6 Outer sepals 2-2- 5 mm; seeds 1 -1-3 mm 5. willkommiana

6 Outer sepals 3-3- 5 mm; seeds 1 - 5-2 mm 6. perennis