Bergia L.

Annual or perennial herbs or undershrubs, ascending or decumbent; stems erect, diffusely branched, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves opposite or in pseudo-whorls, oblong to elliptic, minutely serrate or entire; shortly petioled. Stipules denticulate or ciliate, persistent. Flowers solitary or fascicled; usually 5-merous, pedicellate or subsessile, mostly bracteate. Sepals 5, free, ovate-oblong to lanceolate, acute, keeled with strong midrib, margin membranous, denticulate or pellucid serrulate. Petals 3 - 5, ovate-oblong or lanceolate, membranous. Stamens mostly 5 or 10 in 2 whorls; filaments dilated at base or petaloid; anthers small. Carpels 5, syncarpous, rarely free; ovary ovoid, globose or ellipsoid, 5-loculed; styles short, straight or curved; stigmas capitate. Capsules globose, septicidal or septifrugal, crustaceous or subcrustaceous. Seeds numerous, oblong with rounded ends, smooth or faintly scalariform-reticulate, exalbuminous.

Temperate and tropical regions of the world, ca 20 species; 5 in India.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Plants glandular pubescent

2

b. Plants glabrous or nearly so

3

2a. Flowers 2 - 8 in cymes; stamens usually 10

5. Bergia suffruticosa

b. Flowers few to many in dense or lax, subverticillate axillary fascicles; stamens usually 5

2. Bergia ammannioides

3a. Undershrubs; stipules setaceous, glandular; sepals denticulate; styles straight

1. Bergia aestivosa

b. Herbs; stipules not setaceous, eglandular; sepals entire; styles recurved

4

4a. Plants succulent, aquatic or in swampy localities; stipules pectinate, flowers in clusters

3. Bergia capensis

b. Plants not succulent, usually grow in moist localities; stipules fimbriate, flowers solitary or in pairs

4. Bergia polyantha

List of Lower Taxa