Saisola L.

25. Saisola L. 1

Annuals or dwarf shrubs; glabrous or pubescent. Leaves filiform or semicylindrical, alternate or opposite. Flowers hermaphrodite, with 2 conspicuous bracteoles. Perianth-segments 5 (3 outer and 2 inner), usually developing a transverse wing on the back in fruit; stamens 5; stigmas 2(-3). Seeds usually horizontal.

Most species are restricted to more or less saline , sandy habitats, either maritime or in arid regions inland. A large proportion is essentially Asiatic, and occur only on the extreme S.E. margin of Europe.

Measurements of the perianth in fruit include the wings.

Horaninovia minor Fischer & Meyer , Enum. Pl. Nov. 1: 10 (1841) occurs at the mouth of the Ural river in W. Kazakhstan, and has also been doubtfully recorded from S.E. Russia (Astrakhan). It has the leaves and bracts opposite, spinose; the flowers solitary, axillary and in distant, subglobose spinose heads at the apices of the branches; perianth-segments with a large suborbicular appendage on the back in fruit.

1 Annual herbs

2 Upperleavesdavate;perianthin fruitspongy,inflated 1. foliosa 2 Leaves not davate; perianth in fruit not spongy and inflated

3 Leavesspine-tippedormucronate

4 Perianth-segments rigid, mucronulate; mid-vein distinct

5 Plant densely covered with brittle bristles 8. kali 5 Plant glabrous or papillose

6 Leaves coriaceous, erect, yellowish, contrasting sharply with the purple or reddish stem 3. paulsenii 6 Leaves soft, dark green, the lower usually deflexed; stem green 4. pellucida 4 Perianth-segments flaccid; mid-vein weak or absent

7 Leaves opposite, pubescent 2. brachiata 7 Leaves alternate, or sometimes opposite but then glabrous

8 Perianth tubular in fruit; lower leaves mostly opposite

9 Lower leaves 20-70 mm; uppermost bracts equalling flowers 5. soda 9 Lower leaves 1 O-2O(-3O) mm; uppermost bracts shorter than flowers 6. acutifolia 8 Perianth pelviform in fruit; lower leaves alternate or at most 1-3 pairs opposite

10 Bracteoles mucronulate 7. tamariscina 10 Bracteoles cuspidate

11 Bracts ±appressed 9. collina 11 Bracts ± patent 8. kali 3 Leaves obtuse, neither spine-tipped nor mucronate

12 Leaves not decurrent; perianth 5-10 mm in diameter in fruit

13 Lower leaves 5-8 mm; bracts shorter than or equalling bracteoles 13. nitraria 13 Lower leaves 8-16 mm; bracts exceeding bracteoles

14. affinis 12 Leaves shortly decurrent; perianth 10-20 mm in diameter in fruit

14 Plant lanate in the upper part; stigmas shorter than style

10. lanata 14 Plant pubescent or glabrous; stigmas equalling or longer than style

15 Stigmas at least 3 times as long as style; plant glaucous;

hairs short, straight 11. turcomanica 15 Stigma usually less than 3 times as long as style; plant grey or white; hairs long, crispate 12. crassa 1 Shrubs

16 Anther-appendage lanceolateor elliptic-oblong,acute

17 Leaves 2-3 mm; bracteoles reniform, shorter than flower

15. nodulosa 17 Leaves 5-13 mm; bracteoles elliptical, about equalling the flower 16. carpatha 16 Anther-appendage short,obtuse

18 Leaves constricted above the enlarged base 17. arbuscula 18 Leaves not constricted just above the base

19 First- and second-year stems with numerous longitudinal ridges; leaves fugacious 18. genistoides 19 First- and second-year stems terete or with c. 4 angles or ridges; leaves usually more persistent

20 Perianth-segments obtuse, fimbriate; leaves nearly all opposite 20. verticillata 20 Perianth-segments acute, not fimbriate; leaves alternate or some opposite

21 Leaves 1 -3 mm in diameter (S.E. Spain) 21. papillosa 21 Leaves less than 1 mm in diameter (sometimes deciduous)

22 Leaves 10-25 mm; plant glabrous except for tufts of hairs in the axils of the leaves (S. Spain) 19. webbii 22 Leaves 2-10(-15) mm; stems and often the leaves pubescent

23 Leaves 2-5 mm, glabrous 24. dendroides 23 Leaves 5-10(-15) mm, usually pubescent, sometimes very sparsely so

24 Primary branches of the inflorescence up to 20-

40 cm, with the secondary branches regularly arranged (W. Mediterranean region and Portugal)

22. vermiculata 24 Primary branches of the inflorescence not more than

10 cm, irregularly branched

25 Plant not more than 30 cm; branches divaricate

23. aegaea 25 Plant up to 70 cm; branches erect 25. laricina