2349.000 Boerhavia L.

Struwig, M. & Siebert, S.J. (2013) A taxonomic revision of Boerhavia (Nyctaginaceae) in southern Africa South African Journal of Botany 86 116-134

Description of the genus

Annual or perennial herbs, often from a rootstock, erect or loosely spreading. Leaves opposite, often in unequal pairs, sometimes fleshy, entire or shallowly sinuate. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, paniculate, umbellate or cymose. Flowers small, quickly falling off, bisexual. Perianth: lower part constricted above ovary, upper part petal-like, campanulate, slightly 5-lobed, caducous. Stamens 1-4(-6); stamens or styles exserted or included. Fruit fusiform, clavate or turbinate, conspicuously 3-5(-6)-ribbed, glabrous or glandular pubescent, but without glands.

Derivation of name: Named in honour of Herman Boerhaave (1668 - 1738), a Dutch botanist, Christian humanist and physician.

Worldwide: 20 species in the tropics and subtropics, some widespread weeds.

Zimbabwe: 4 taxa.

Insects associated with this genus:
spilosoma lineata (Veined Ermine) Larval foodplant
Boerhavia diffusa

Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsContent
coccinea Mill.N,W,E,SDescription, Image
diffusa L.N,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
erecta L.W,EDescription, Image
repens L.SDescription, Image

Other sources of information about Boerhavia:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Boerhavia
Flora of Caprivi: Boerhavia
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Boerhavia
Flora of Malawi: Boerhavia
Flora of Mozambique: Boerhavia
Flora of Zambia: Boerhavia

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Boerhavia
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Boerhavia
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Boerhavia
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Boerhavia
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Boerhavia
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Boerhavia
JSTOR Plant Science: Boerhavia
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Boerhavia
Plants of the World Online: Boerhavia
Tropicos: Boerhavia
Wikipedia: Boerhavia

Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Genus page: Boerhavia.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=543, retrieved 19 March 2024

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