Torenia

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 619. 1753.

Common names: Wishbone flower bluewings
Introduced
Etymology: For Olaf Toren, 1718–1753, Swedish clergyman and naturalist with Swedish East India Company
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 17. Treatment on page 357. Mentioned on page 6, 353.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA17 P40 Lindernia dubia.jpegLindernia dubia
Torenia fournieri
Micranthemum umbrosum
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Annuals [perennials]. Stems erect, sometimes prostrate, glabrous or hairy. Leaves cauline, opposite; petiole present; blade not leathery, margins serrate [crenate]. Inflorescences terminal, racemelike; bracts present. Flowers: sepals 5, connate 1/2+ length, calyx bilaterally to radially symmetric, ellipsoid, winged, lobes triangular-ovate; petals 5, corolla usually white, violet, purple, or blue [red, pink, or yellow], bilaterally symmetric, bilabiate, campanulate, tube 21–36 (–40) mm, abaxial lobes 3, adaxial 2, connate, forming erect to spreading adaxial lip; stamens 4, didynamous, abaxial filaments glabrous, appendage absent [present], adaxial filaments glabrous, appendage absent; staminode 0. Capsules: dehiscence initially poricidal, later loculicidal and septicidal. Seeds 250–400, white to gold, cylindric. x = [8] 9.

Distribution

Introduced; Asia, Africa, also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Europe, Australia

Discussion

Species ca. 50 (1 in the flora).

In addition to the two widely cultivated taxa, Torenia fournieri and T. fournieri × T. concolor Lindley, T. thouarsii (Chamisso & Schlechtendal) Kuntze is found as a weedy species introduced in Central America and South America.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

... more about "Torenia"
erect +  and spreading +
Deborah Q. Lewis +
Linnaeus +
not leathery +
ellipsoid +
septicidal +, loculicidal +  and poricidal +
Wishbone flower +  and bluewings +
blue +, purple +, violet +  and white +
campanulate +
Asia +, Africa +, also in Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +, South America +, Europe +  and Australia +
For Olaf Toren, 1718–1753, Swedish clergyman and naturalist with Swedish East India Company +
poricidal +  and septicidal +
triangular-ovate +
toothed +, undulate +  and entire +
tenuinucellate +  and unitegmic +
orthotropous +
white +  and gold +
cylindric +
Introduced +
repent +  and prostrate +
hairy +  and glabrous +
weakly +  and 4-angled +
neither +, clavate +, capitate +  and 2-lobed +
Torenia +
Linderniaceae +
3.6 cm36 mm <br />0.036 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
2.1 cm21 mm <br />0.021 m <br /> (3.6 cm36 mm <br />0.036 m <br />) +
perennial +  and annual +