Acaena
Mant. Pl., 145, 200. 1771.
| Taxon | Illustrator ⠉ | |
|---|---|---|
 | Poteridium annuum Sanguisorba canadensis Acaena pinnatifida Acaena novae-zelandiae | Marjorie C. Leggitt Marjorie C. Leggitt Marjorie C. Leggitt Marjorie C. Leggitt |
Herbs, perennial, 1–15 dm diam.; from branched, woody caudex or stoloniferous. Stems 1–20, creeping and rooting or suberect, basally woody, clad in old leaf-bases, glabrous or sparsely pilose. Leaves persistent, basal and/or cauline; stipules absent or persistent, adnate to petiole, free portion ovate to obovate, deeply 2–5-fid, or linear, margins entire; petiole present; blade spatulate, [1–] 2–15 [–18] cm, herbaceous, leaflets 4–10 per side, opposite, ovate, oblong, or elliptic, margins flat or revolute, incised or pinnatisect, dentate or entire, surfaces hairy or glabrous. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, [4–] 15–100-flowered, spikes or globose heads; peduncles present or absent; bracts absent; bracteoles present. Pedicels present. Flowers 3.5–6 mm diam.; hypanthium obtriangular, ovoid, or obconic, 3.5–6 mm diam., spiny [or winged or neither], tomentose or glabrous; sepals 4–5 [–6], spreading, elliptic or triangular; petals 0; stamens 2–4 [–6], longer than sepals; carpels 1 [or 2], styles white or red, fimbriate. Fruits achenes, 1 [–2], spindle-shaped; hypanthium persistent, enclosing achenes, gray to redbrown, ovoid, oblong, globose, or obconic, 3–6 mm diam., hardened, sometimes winged, distinctly or obscurely angled with a single spine at apex of each of 4 angles, or covered with 10–20 [–50] spines [or without spines], spines usually bearing retrorse hairs or barbs at apices, pubescent or glabrous, eglandular or glandular; sepals persistent, spreading. x = 21.
Distribution
w United States, Mexico, South America (Argentina), South America (Chile), s Africa (Cape Province), Atlantic Islands (Gough Island), Atlantic Islands (South Georgia), Atlantic Islands (Tristan da Cunha), Indian Ocean Islands (Kerguelen), Indian Ocean Islands (Prince Edward Island), Pacific Islands (Hawaii), Pacific Islands (New Guinea), Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia, in Europe (England), in Europe (Ireland)
Discussion
Species ca. 45 (3 in the flora).
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Inflorescences interrupted spikes; fruiting hypanthia bearing 10–20 spines 1–3 mm; plants decumbent to suberect; leaflets pinnatisect. | Acaena pinnatifida |
| 1 | Inflorescences globose heads; fruiting hypanthia 4-angled, each angle with a spine at apex (arising distally) 7–15 mm; plants creeping or stoloniferous; leaflets dentate | > 2 |
| 2 | Fruiting hypanthia: spines 7–12 mm, without subsidiary spines on angles; stems 1.5–2 mm diam.; leaflet adaxial surfaces bright shining green, smooth, abaxial surfaces glaucescent. | Acaena novae-zelandiae |
| 2 | Fruiting hypanthia: spines 9–15 mm, with subsidiary spines on angles; stems 2–3 mm diam.; leaflet adaxial surfaces glossy green, rugulose, abaxial surfaces whitish with uneven wax layer. | Acaena pallida |
"thin" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.