Photos: Harley, R.

Photo: Harley, R.

Subfamily

III. Subfam. Ajugoideae Kostel. (1834).

Subfam. Teucrioideae (Dumort.) Caruel (1884).

Description

Shrubs, subshrubs and perennial herbs; leaves usually alternate (occasionally opposite), sessile or short-petiolate, oblanceolate to obovate or elliptical, variously toothed to repand (rarely entire); inflorescence a terminal thyrse or raceme; bracts brightly coloured, red to purple or yellow; calyx bright red or purple, actinomorphic, accrescent or not, 5-lobed; corolla yellow to white, subactinomorphic to weakly zygomorphic, 5-lobed, anterior lobe usually largest; stamens 4, didynamous, exserted, filaments straight or upcurved (probably varying with stage of anthesis), anthers versatile, thecae parallel, separate at dehiscence; pollen with supratectal spinules; ovary unlobed; stigma-lobes subequal to unequal; disc absent; fruit drupaceous with four 1-seeded pyrenes; endosperm absent.  Eight species of northern and central South America.

Distribution

Native to:

81 Caribbean
82 Northern South America
83 Western South America
84 Brazil
85 Southern South America

Synonyms

Diphystema Neck., Elem. Bot. 1: 382 (1790), opus utique oppr.

Publication

Amasonia L. f., Suppl. Pl. 48: 294 (1782), nom. cons; Moldenke, Feddes Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 46: 193-228 (1939).

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Image resource

© Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew