Commicarpus Standl., Contrib. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 373. 1909; Webb in Tutin et al., Fl. Eur. 1: 111. 1964; Hutch., Gen. Flow. Pl. 2: 268. 1967; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 5: 434; Spellenberg, Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org 4: 32; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 9.

Perennial herbs or subshrubs, ascending or procumbent, sometimes climbing, with lower branches +/- woody, sometimes glandular. Leaves opposite, petiolate, thin, subequal in each pair, base +/- symmetric, entire, sinuate-repand. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, pedunculate, umbels or verticels sometimes grouped into panicles. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, hypogynous. Involucral bracts present. Perianth constricted beyond ovary; limb funnelform or campanulate, white, pink or purple, radially symmetric, 5-lobed. Stamens (2-) 3(-6), often long exserted; filaments linear, unequal, connate at base. Ovary stipitate; style linear, exserted; stigma peltate. Anthocarp clavate or obconic, stiffly coriaceous, 10-ribbed with large, raised, wart-like sticky glands, especially near apex. Seed erect.

38 species

Commicarpus chinensis (L.) Heimerl in H.G.A. Engler, Natur. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 16c: 117. 1934; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 5: 434; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 12; Boerrhavia chinensis (L.) Rottb., Pl. Hort. Univ. Rar. Prog. 4. 1773; Aschers. & Schweinf. in Schweinf. Beitr., Fl. Aeth.. 1: 167. 1867; Singh & Sharma, Fl. Chamba Dist. 582. 2006; Cooke, Fl. Pres. Bomb. ed. 2(2): 564. 1967; Valeriana chinensis L., Sp. Pl. 33. 1753.

Perennial herb. Stem scandent, thick, diffusely branched, branches spreading to 1 m, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Leaves opposite, subequal in each pair; petiole 1-3 cm long, with adaxial groove; leaf blade triangular-ovate or cordate-ovate, 3-6 cm x 1.5-5 cm, truncate or subcordate at base, margin repand-sinuate or crenate, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous or abaxially strigose or pubescent, secondary veins 3-4 on each side of midrib. Umbels axillary or terminal; peduncle 2-5.5 cm long; 4-7 flowers in an umbel, a ring of involucel present. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, hypogynous, ca. 1 cm long and 1 cm across; pedicels ca. 1 cm long in flower, up to 1.8 cm long in fruit. Perianth ca. 1 cm long; perianth tube constricted beyond ovary, lower half of perianth tube enclosing ovary ca. 2 mm long with few protuberances; limb pink, funnelform, ca. 8 mm long, ca. 1 cm across, apex 5-lobed, shallowly partite, lobes broad and emarginate, deciduous. Stamens 2-4 (usually 3), long exserted; filaments linear, ca. 1.7 cm long, slightly unequal; anthers ca. 1 mm x 0.5 mm, basifixed, dehiscence longitudinal. Carpel 1, ovary stipitate, elliptic, unilocular with one basal ovule, ovary enclosed by lower part of persistent perianth tube; style ca. 1.7 cm long; stigma peltate. Fruit an anthocarp (achene enclosed by persistent lower part of perianth tube), obconic, 7-8 mm long, longitudinally 10-ribbed with minute glands, stipitate glands near apex, ribs strigose.

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