Pavonia Cav., nom. cons.

Annual or perennial herbs, undershrubs or shrubs. Leaves entire or lobed toparted, palminerved, rarely penninerved, rarely with nectaries on midvein beneath. Flowers usually axillary, solitary, sometimes in axillary or terminal fascicles, racemes or panicles by reduction of leaves; pedicels jointed above the middle. Epicalyx segments 5 - 12, free or sometimes connate at base. Calyx campanulate or tubiform, 5-lobed or toothed. Corolla rotate, yellow, pink or pinkish-white. Staminal column as long as or shorter than corolla, antheriferous throughout. Carpels 5, 5-locular, ovules one in each locule; styles 10; stigmas capitate, papillose. Schizocarps discoid to globose; mericarps 5, 1-seeded, indehiscent, echinate or not, with or without wings, glabrous or pubescent, prominently reticulate veined. Seeds reniform, pubescent or glabrous.

Throughout tropics, ca 200 species; 7 in India.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Leaves with nectaries on veins beneath; flowers in axillary or terminal clusters; pedicels 1 - 5 mm long

6. Pavonia repanda

b. Leaves without nectaries; flowers axillary, solitary; pedicels 10 - 60 mm long

2

2a. Epicalyx segments 5, shortly connate at base

3

b. Epicalyx segments 8 - 14, free

4

3a. Mericarps with distinct serrulate crest and 3 - 4 prickles on each side; epicalyx segments 5 - 20 mm long, ovate

5. Pavonia procumbens

b. Mericarps echinate all over; epicalyx segments 16 - 18 mm long, lanceolate

2. Pavonia glechomifolia

4a. Mericarps with 3 stout horns and 4 basal protuberances

3. Pavonia grewioides

b. Mericarps without horns

5

5a. Mericarps winged at angles

7. Pavonia zeylanica

b. Mericarps wingless

6

6a. Leaves lobed or angular; mericarps glabrous

4. Pavonia odorata

b. Leaves unlobed; mericarps villous

1. Pavonia arabica

List of Lower Taxa