- Holosteum
Taxobox
name = "Holosteum"
image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Holosteum umbellatum "
regnum =Plant ae
divisio =Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
ordo =Caryophyllales
familia =Caryophyllaceae
genus = "Holosteum"
genus_authority =
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text"Holosteum" is a
genus ofplants in the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae ) with 3 or 4 species native from southern Europe through central and south western Asia and in Africa. They are herbs with an annual life span, some growing aswinter annuals . They have slenderroot s and thin stems that are upright or ascending. The genus name was given by Linnaeus, and named because of the sprawling nature of the plants: [Greek holos, meaning whole or all, and osteon, meaning bone, because of the frailty of the plant.Flowers are bisexual but sometimes also unisexual and pistillate. Flowers are
hypogynous , have 5sepals that are distinct and green in color and lanceolate to ovate in shape and 2.5-4.5 mm long. Typically with nostipule s. The flowers have 5 petals that are white to soft pink in color and are clawed. Plants typically are found as small inconspicuous early spring blooming plants with short life spans.Common names for the plants in this genus include jagged chickweeds and (in Chinese) "ying gu cao".
External links
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=115639 Flora of North America]
* [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?2907,2951 Jepson Manual Treatment]
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