Malcolmia R. Br., nom. cons.

Herbs, usually annual, or rarely perennial, branched, pubescent; hairs branched, rarely unbranched. Leaves entire or pinnatifid. Racemes lax, ebracteate. Flowers white or purple. Sepals equal, erect; the inner usually saccate at base. Petals linear or narrowly oblanceolate, long-clawed, white or pink to violet. Stamens usually 6; longer stamens connate in pairs; filaments free or united below in pairs. Ovary oblong, many-ovuled. Fruit a siliqua, cylindric; valves 3-nerved, somewhat rigid; style absent; stigma deeply 2 fid. Seeds 1 - 2 -seriate, ovoid or oblong, rarely globular.

Asian and Mediterranean regions; about 30 species, 3 in India.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Plants short, few-flowered; siliqua almost glabrous

2. Malcolmia intermedia

b. Plants tall, many-flowered; siliqua with strigose or forked hairs

2

2a. Petals white; siliqua with strigose hairs 2 - 3 cm long

3. Malcolmia strigosa

b. Petals violet; siliqua with short forked hairs, 3.5 - 8 cm long

1. Malcolmia africana

List of Lower Taxa