Peganum L., Sp. Pl. 444. 1753; Gen. Pl. 5: 204. 1754; Benth. & Hook. f., Gen. Pl. 1: 287. 1862; Engler in Engler & Prantl., Natur. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 19 a: 154. 1931; Hutch., Gen. Fl. Pl. 2: 615. 1967; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 6.

Erect, pubescent or glabrous, perennial herbs. Root stock woody. Leaves alternate, simple, irregularly multifid, rarely entire, eglandular; stipules setaceous. Flowers white to yellow, solitary, terminal or on subterminal, antiphyllous peduncle, pedicellate, actinomorphic, bisexual, hypogynous; disk small, annular or angular. Sepals 4-5, free, linear, entire, pinnatifid or pinnate, persistent. Petals 4-5, free, slightly unequal, neither cucullate nor clawed, imbricate. Stamens (8-)12-15, inserted at base of disk, filaments dilated at base; anthers linear- oblong. Carpels 3-4, syncarpous, ovary superior, sessile, globose, sulcate (marked with parallel grooves), 3-4 locular, many ovules per loculus; style long, simple (basal), 2-3 keeled in upper part, keel stigmatose. Fruit a globose capsule, 3-4 locular, loculicidally dehiscent; fruit rarely baccate (berry-like), indehiscent. Seeds pitted, angular, testa spongy, endosperm fleshy, embryo curved.

4 species

*Peganum is also treated under families Rutaceae (Hooker. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 486. 1875), Peganaceae (Fl. China @ eFloras.org 11:43) or Zygophyllaceae by different taxonomists.

Peganum harmala L., Sp. Pl. 444. 1753; Boiss, Fl. Or. 1: 917; 1867; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 486. 1875 (treated under family Rutaceae); Engler in Engler & Prantl., Natur. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 19 a: 154. 1931; Tutin in Tutin et al., Fl. Europ. 2: 205. 1968; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 11: 43 (treated under family Peganaceae); Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 7; Peganon harmalum (L.) St.- Lag., Ann. Soc. Bot. Lyon 7: 131. 1880; Harmala peganum Crantz, Inst. Rei Herb. 2: 463. 1766.

Perennial, 25-60 cm tall, corymbosely branched glabrous herb. Leaves alternate, sessile, 4-8 cm long, irregularly and pinnatisectly dissected into 3-5 segments, linear-lanceolate, acute, 1-3.5 cm long and 1.5-3 mm broad; stipules setaceous, 1.5-2.5 mm long. Flowers white or yellowish white, ca. 2-2.5 cm across, solitary, terminal or subterminal or antiphyllous, actinomorphic, bisexual, hypogynous; pedicel 1.2 cm long, filiform. Sepals 5, slightly connate at base, 10-15(-20) mm long, entire, acute, glabrous. Petals 5, free, oblong or oblong-elliptic or ovate-oblong, subequal, yellowish white with long green streaks, 10-15(-20) mm long, 5-8 mm broad, obtuse. Stamens 15 free; filaments 4-5 mm long, enlarged at base; anthers nearly equal or longer than filaments, ca. 6 mm long, dorsifixed. Carpels 3, syncarpous; ovary superior, sessile, globose, sulcate, 3-locular, each loculus with many ovules; style 8-10 mm long, upper ca. 6 mm triangular or 3-keeled, keels stigmatose. Disc small, annular or angular. Capsule 6-10 mm across, trigonous or shallowly 3-lobed, depressed or retuse at apex with persistent style. Seeds blackish- brown, triangular, ca. 2 mm long, surface muriculate.

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