Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Metachlamydeae

Gesneriaceae - African violet family

Literature

Hilliard, O.M. & Burtt, B.L. (1988) Gesneriaceae FZ 8(3)

Description of the family

Herbs, often glandular-hairy. Leaves either 1 or several. Inflorescence of open axillary cymes. Calyx divided to the base into 5 segments. Corolla zygomorphic, gamopetalous, 5-lobed, ± 2-lipped. Stamens: anterior 2 fertile, lateral staminodes usually present, the posterior often 0. Ovary superior, usually 1-locular. Ovules numerous. Fruit a ± cylindric capsule. Seeds numerous, small.

Worldwide: 141 genera and 2,900 species, tropical.

More sample images from the Gesneriaceae (Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record)

Streptocarpus cynandrus

Streptocarpus michelmorei

Streptocarpus pumilus

Links to genera: (1) View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

Genus	Content
Streptocarpus Lindl.	Description, Image

Other sources of information about Gesneriaceae:

Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Gesneriaceae page
Flora of Mozambique: Gesneriaceae
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Gesneriaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar