Mantisalca
Mantisalca is a genus of flowering plants in the thistle tribe within the daisy family.[4][5]
Mantisalca | |
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A dagger flower, M. salmantica, in Albatera Alicante, Spain. | |
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Genus: | Mantisalca |
Type species | |
Mantisalca salmantica | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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Description
Annual or biennial herbs growing between 50 cm to 1.3 metres in size.[6][7] Herbage is not spiny.[7]
Morphology
The stems are erect, strongly branched, longitudinal parallel lines (striate) with wings on stem absent.[6]
Leaves grow around the base (basal) and along the stem (cauline).[7] Leaves are without spines. Basal leaves dissected to the midrib with the leave segments merging (confluent) at the midrib (pinnatisect).[6] Stem leaves sparse, much reduced, very narrow in length with parallel sides (linear) and toothed, with the teeth pointing towards the leaf tip (serrate).[6]
Flower heads are solitary with ray-florets absent and receptacle scales present.[8] Involcural bracts are ovoid to spheric in shape, 10 to 15 mm in diameter.[7] The bracts are in several series, up to eight in number, ending in a short deciduous spines or with a short sharp point (mucronate).[8][7][6]
Species
- Mantisalca amberboides (Caball.) Maire - Morocco
- Mantisalca cabezudoi E.Ruíz & Devesa
- Mantisalca delestrii Briq. & Cavill. - Morocco, Algeria
- Mantisalca duriaei Briq. & Cavill. - France, Spain, Italy
- Mantisalca salmantica (L.) Briq. & Cavill. - widespread from Britain + Morocco to Palestine
- Mantisalca spinulosa (Rouy) E.Ruíz & Devesa
Selected hybrids include:
- Mantisalca × castroviejoi E.Ruíz & Devesa
Distribution and Habitat
Mantisalca occurs primarily in northern Africa, southern Europe and Turkey. One species Mantisalca salmantica is naturalised in Australia.[6]
References
- Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist Archived 2014-12-18 at Archive.today
- Cassini 1818, p. 142.
- "Plant Name Details for Genus Mantisalca". IPNI. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
- Tropicos, Mantisalca Cass.
- Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Mantisalca includes photos and distribution maps
- Orchard 2015.
- Keil 2006.
- Stanley & Ross 1986, p. 587.
- "Query Results for Genus Genus". IPNI. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
- "Name - Mantisalca Cass. subordinate taxa". Tropicos. Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
Bibliography
- Cassini, Henri (1818). Société Philomathique de Paris (ed.). Bulletin des sciences (in French). 2. Paris: Plassan. pp. 141–144.
- Orchard, Anthony E. (2015). Flora of Australia (PDF). Mantisalca. 37. Melbourne: ABRS/CSIRO. p. 73.
- Keil, David (2006). Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico. Mantisalca. 19. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 173.
- Stanley, Trevor D.; Ross, Estelle M. (1986). Flora of south-eastern Queensland. 2. Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Dept. of Primary Industries.