Reseda L.

Herbs, annual or perennial, ascending or erect, glabrous or papillose. Leaves basal and cauline, subsessile, entire or pinnatifid; stipules glandular. Inflorescence racemose, terminal, simple or branched. Flowers zygomorphic, bracteate, white or cream coloured or yellowish green. Sepals 4 - 8, shortly connate at base. Petals 4 - 7, clawed, unequal, multifid, posterior one dilated at base with a membrane above claw. Disc broad, fleshy, oblique, campanulate, dilated posticously. Stamens 10 - 40; filaments connate at base, inserted on eccentric disc, on one side of the flower. Ovary 3 - 4-carpellary, syncarpous, 1-loculed; ovules many on 3 placentas; style 3 - 4, distinct, separated. Capsules unilocular, many-sided, truncate to 3 - 4-toothed at apex, opening widely at apex; seeds reniform inflated, papillose or scabrous.

N. Africa, W. Asia to Western India; about 26 species, 3 species in India.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Leaves always entire, rearely some upper ones divided

2

b. Leaves at least some ternate or pinnatisect

3

2a. Sepals 5 or more; seeds reniform

2. Reseda aucheri

b. Sepals 4; seeds globose

3. Reseda luteola

3a. Filaments persistent untill fruit is ripe

1. Reseda alba

b. Filaments caducous long before fruit is ripe

4

4a. Plants 40 - 70 cm high; sepals ca 1 mm long; capsules 3 - 5 mm long. Naturally occurring

4. Reseda pruinosa

b. Plants up to 25 cm high; sepals 4 - 5 mm long; capsules 9 - 11 mm long. Cultivated only

0. Reseda odorata

List of Lower Taxa