Samolus valerandi L.

Primulaceae, F. K. Kupicha. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous annual herb up to 50 cm. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems erect, simple or branched, leafy, arising from a basal rosette.

Morphology Leaves

Lowest stem leaves 5 cm. long or less, spathulate to suborbicular with a– short petiole; upper leaves decreasing in size, becoming bractiform, elliptic, sessile. Basal leaves up to 10 x 3 cm., fleshy, spathulate, tapering at the base into a petiole.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes many–flowered; pedicels with bract c. 1 mm. long inserted at or above the middle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx cup–shaped, with tube c. 1–5 mm. long and triangular lobes c. 1/ as long as tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla c. 2 mm. long, white, subcampanulate, with broadly spathulate lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens 5, c. 1 mm. long, inserted at the base of the corolla–tube; staminodes 5, subulate, inserted in the corolla–tube between the lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style c. 0–5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule c. 3 mm. long, globose; valves strongly reflexed after dehiscence.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 0·3–0·6 mm. long, ± tetrahedral, minutely granular, dark brown.

Primulaceae, P. Taylor. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous annual herb with erect stems to 50 cm. high, simple or branched above.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in a more or less well-developed basal rosette and more or less numerous throughout the length of the stem, the lowermost spathulate and up to 12 cm. long, those above obovate or elliptic, shorter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in terminal racemes up to 20 cm. long; pedicels ascending, up to 25 mm. long, more or less geniculate at the insertion of the bract at or slightly above the middle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx about 2 mm. long; lobes about half that length, ovate-deltoid, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla about 2 mm. long; lobes about 2/3 of that length, obovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted at the base of the corolla-tube, about 1 mm. long; staminodes minute, about 0.2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule-valves strongly reflexed after dehiscence.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds about 0.6 mm. long.

Figures

Fig. 5.

Habitat

River-banks and drying up river-beds; 1710 m.

Distribution

K4 K6 scattered throughout the whole of Africa and most of the rest of the world.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous erect annual up to 50 cm high

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in a basal rosette and usually also numerous throughout the length of stem, the lowermost spatulate, those above obovate and smaller, 4–12 × 1–2 cm, base tapering, obtuse, entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in terminal racemes up to 20 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels up to 25 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bract 2–3 mm, inserted at or above the middle of pedicel

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± 2 mm, lobes ovate-deltoid, acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla ± 2 mm, lobes obovate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted at base of corolla tube, about 1 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes

Staminodes minute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule valves strongly deflexed after dehiscence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid, ± 0.6 mm long.

Ecology

Moist locations, near streams and in water, in ditches; alt. 10–100 m

Phenology

Feb.-Aug.

Distribution

Occasional in wetlands of lowland Iraq. Mediterranean region, Balkans, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Pakistan to China.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/163967/13571192

Conservation

LC - least concern

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous annual herb

Morphology Stem

Stems erect, up to 50 cm tall, simple or branched, leafy and with a basal rosette

Morphology Leaves

Basal leaves 3–10 x 1–2.2 cm, spathulate; lower stem leaves spathulate or oblong, up to 5 cm long, the upper ones smaller elliptic, sessile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes many-flowered, up to 15 cm long; pedicels up to 2.5 cm long, ± geniculate; bracts c. 1 mm long, inserted at or above middle of pedicel

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx cup-shaped, 1.5–2 mm long; lobes triangular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla c. 2 mm long, white; lobes spathulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens c. 1 mm long, adnate to base of corolla-tube; staminodes 5, minute, inserted between corolla-lobes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 2–3 mm long, globose; valves becoming strongly reflexed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds up to 0.6 mm long.

Distribution

N1, 2 and scattered throughout most parts of the world.

Ecology

Altitude range 700–1525 m.