Cyphomeris

Standley

Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 13: 428. 1911.

Etymology: Greek, kyphos, bent, humped, and meris, part, in reference to the gibbous fruit
Basionym: Lindenia M. Martens & Galeotti Bull. Acad. Roy. Sci. Bruxelles 10: 357. 1843, Senkenbergia S. Schauer 1847
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 31. Mentioned on page 14, 17.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA4 P5 Cyphomeris gypsophiloides.jpegCyphomeris gypsophiloides
Cyphomeris crassifolia
Commicarpus scandens
Acleisanthes longiflora
Acleisanthes acutifolia
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn

Herbs, perennial, glabrous or pubescent, from stout, ± woody taproots. Stems erect to reclining, often clambering through other vegetation, unarmed, with glutinous bands on internodes. Leaves subsessile to long petiolate, unequal in size in each pair; blade thin or thick and slightly fleshy, base ± asymmetric. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, pedunculate, racemose; bracts deciduous, 1 at base of each pedicel, distinct, lanceolate, thin, translucent. Flowers bisexual, chasmogamous and/or cleistogamous; perianth of cleistogamous flowers forming low dome atop basal portion; perianth of chasmogamous flowers slightly bilaterally symmetric, funnelform, strongly oblique, constricted beyond ovary, tube flared, limbs 5-lobed; stamens 5 (fewer in cleistogamous flowers), exserted; styles exserted beyond anthers; stigmas capitate. Fruits clavate, ± gibbous abaxially, often gently incurved adaxially, stiffly coriaceous; ribs 10, not well defined, with or without interrupted ridges or tubercules, glabrous.

Distribution

sw United States, Mexico

Discussion

Species 2 (2 in the flora).

In its racemose inflorescence and clavate fruits, Cyphomeris resembles some species of Boerhavia Linnaeus, where its retention has been suggested by F. R. Fosberg (1978).

Key

1 Leaf blades glabrous or glabrate, lanceolate to linear, margins entire; fruits 8-11(-14) mm, striate, sometimes weakly warty Cyphomeris gypsophiloides
1 Leaf blades pubescent, ovate, broadly oblong, or rhombic, margins usually sinuate; fruits 6-8 mm, usually prominently warty on gibbous side Cyphomeris crassifolia

"thick" is not a number."thin" is not a number.

... more about "Cyphomeris"
Matthew Mahrt +  and Richard W. Spellenberg +
Standley +
glutinous +
unequal +
woody +, leathery +  and fleshy +
Lindenia +  and Senkenbergia +
undulate;plane;linear;ovate or more or less round +
deciduous +
distinct +
lanceolate +
corollalike +  and petaloid +
sw United States +  and Mexico +
curved +  and straight +
Greek, kyphos, bent, humped, and meris, part, in reference to the gibbous fruit +
inconspicuous +  and showy +
1 +  and 80 +
chasmogamous +, cleistogamous +  and bisexual +
gibbous +  and clavate +
coriaceous +
subsessile +  and long petiolate +
unequal +
5-lobed +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
sinuate +  and entire +
Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. +
mahrt1995a +
thick +  and thin +
fibrous;fleshy +
membranaceous +
ribbed +, 10-ribbed +  and 5-ribbed +
pubescent +, glabrous +  and warty +
wrinkled +
clambering +, erect +  and reclining +
fusiform +  and linear +
filiform +
Cyphomeris +
Nyctaginaceae +
gland-tipped +
pubescent +  and glabrous +