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This genus is accepted, and its native range is Tropics & Subtropics.

[FSOM]

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

Morphology General Habit
Ephemeral to woody-based perennial herbs; tomentum not glandular
Morphology Leaves
Leaves often clustered at nodes on sessile axillary shoots; stipules scarious
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flowers 5-merous in terminal cymes, often very congested, terminal branches scorpioid, sometimes with overlapping bracts; bracts sepal-like
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals free, scarious, often silvery, sometimes with coloured midrib but without raised keel
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals often much shorter than sepals
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens up to 5
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovules few–many, style short or long, stigma shortly 3-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a 3-valved capsule, valves often with thicker paler margins
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 3–many, ± ovoid, smooth or obscurely reticulate, translucent, brown.
Distribution
A genus of about 75 species in the tropics and subtropics, most numerous in the Old World.
Note
The scarious bracts and sepals of some species result in them sometimes being mistaken for species of Amaranthaceae. Robbairea can only be separated on the basis of the larger, clawed petals which does not seem adequate justification for generic status.

[FTEA]

Caryophyllaceae, W. B. Turrill. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1956

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial plants, mostly herbaceous but sometimes woody near the base
Morphology Stem
Stems erect or ascending, often much branched
Morphology Leaves
Leaves linear or oblanceolate to ovate, opposite or apparently whorled, with scarious stipules
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences in terminal, loose or compacted, cymes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 5-merous; perianth and stamens hypogynous or somewhat perigynous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals entirely scarious, not keeled, white or brown to purple
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals shorter than the sepals
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5 (or reduced from 5)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary unilocular with few to many ovules; style with three short lobes or capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 3-valved.

[FZ]

Caryophyllaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes somewhat woody near the base; stems ascending or spreading, sometimes much branched.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or apparently whorled, linear to oblanceolate or ovate; stipules scarious.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences of loose or compact terminal cymes; bracts scarious.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth and stamens hypogynous or somewhat perigynous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5, scarious, not keeled, silvery, brownish, purple or pinkish.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, shorter than the sepals, entire or emarginate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens 5 or fewer by abortion; filaments free or slightly connate at the base, sometimes with a ring of five staminodes.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 1-locular; ovules few to ?; style with 3 short stigmatic arms or capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 3-valved.

Native to:

Algeria, Angola, Argentina Northeast, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canary Is., Cape Verde, Caprivi Strip, Central African Repu, Chad, China South-Central, China Southeast, Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf States, Guyana, Hainan, India, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kuwait, KwaZulu-Natal, Laccadive Is., Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Maluku, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, New Guinea, New South Wales, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Queensland, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sinai, Socotra, Somalia, South Australia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Western Australia, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Introduced into:

Florida

Polycarpaea Lam. appears in other Kew resources:

First published in J. Hist. Nat. 2: 8 (1792)

Accepted by

  • Hutchinson, J., Dalziel, J.M. & Keay, R.W.J. (1954-1958). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 1-828.

Literature

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • Pax in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. 17: 588 (1893).
  • —F.T.A. 1: 144

Flora Zambesiaca

  • in Journ. Hist. Nat. Par. 2: 3, t. 25 (1792) nom. conserv.

Flora of Somalia

  • Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. G. Gilbert [updated by M. Thulin 2008]

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • in Journ. Hist. Nat. Par. 2: 3, t. 25 (1792)

Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Flora of Somalia
Flora of Somalia
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0