Lawsonia L., Sp. Pl. 340. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed.5. 166. 1754; Roxb, Fl. Ind. (ed Carey.) 2: 258.1832; Boiss., Fl. Or. 2: 744. 1872; Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 573. 1879; Bailey, Stand. Cycl. Hort. 4: 1830. 1919; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras org p.5.

Shrub or small tree, glabrous; old stem spinescent. Leaves narrowed into a short petiole. Inflorescence a terminal panicle. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, 4-merous (or 5-merous), perigynous, white or yellowish white. Hypanthium cupulate, much shorter than calyx, peltate in fruit. Epicalyx absent. Petals corrugate, obovate, obtuse. Stamens 8 (or 10) in pairs, inserted at the top of hypanthium, exserted, all of equal length. Ovary subglobose or obovate, narrowed below, 4-locular, stigma simple. Capsule globose, much exceeding the hypanthium, 1 or incompletely 4-locular, dehiscence irregular, seeds pyramidal

One species

Lawsonia inermis L., Sp. Pl. 349. 1753; Roxb, Fl. Ind. (ed Carey.) 2: 258.1832; Bailey, Stand. Cycl. Hort. 4: 1830. 1919; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1. 255. 1918 (Reprint 1973); Fl. Pak. @ eFloras org p.5; Lawsonia alba Lam., Encycl. Meth. Bot. 3: 106. 1789; Boiss., Fl. Or. 2: 744. 1872; Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 573. 1879; Brandis, Ind. Trees. 340. 1911; Bamber, Pl. Punj. 53. 1916; L. spinosa L., Sp. Pl. 349. 1753.

Evergreen shrub or small tree, 2-6 m tall, glabrous, bark greyish-brown, unarmed when young, older plants with spine-tipped branchlets; young branches quadrangular. Leaves opposite, entire, subsessile, elliptic, ovate or obovate to broadly lanceolate, 1.5-5 cm x 0.5-2 cm, apex acute, sub-acuminate or obtuse, often mucronate, margin entire, base tapering; petiole very short or absent. Flowers numerous in large pyramidal terminal or axillary panicles of cymes (3-22 cm), fragrant, 7-10 mm across, bisexual, actinomorphic, 4-merous (or 5-merous), perigynous; pedicels 2-3.5 mm long. Calyx broadly campanulate; calyx tube (Hypanthium) 1.5-2 mm long and 4 (or 5) spreading lobes, lobes 2-2.5 mm x 2-2.5 mm, ovate, apex acute or with mucro. Petals 4(or 5) ca. 3 mm x 2.5-3 mm, orbicular or obovate with small claw, corrugate, creamish yellow. Stamens 8(or 10), inserted in pairs on the rim of calyx-tube, all stamens equal; filaments ca. 4 mm long; anthers ca. 0.7 mm long. Ovary half-inferior, 2-4-locular, 1.5-2 mm x 1.5-2 mm, obovate; many ovules per loculus, placentation axile; style erect, 4-5 mm long, thick; stigma terminal, minute. Capsule ca. 4-8 mm in diameter, nearly globose, supported by persistent calyx and tipped with style, wall veined, dehiscence irregular, seeds pyramidal, ca. 1.5 mm x 1.5 mm.

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