DACTYLOCARDAMUM Al-Shehbaz, J. Arnold Arbor. 70: 519. 1989.

Ihsan A. Al-Shehbaz

Tribe:

Name Derivation: from Greek dactyl, finger, and cardamom, a cress or crucifer, in reference to the finger-like branches of the caudex.

Type species: D. imbricatifolium Al-Shehbaz.

     Herbs, perennial, forming dense cushions, with woody, caudex with extensively finger-like branches. Trichomes simple. Multicellular glands absent. Stems erect, fingerlike, densely packed, completely covered by leaves. Basal leaves absent; cauline leaves sessile, not auriculate, entire, scalelike, densely imbricate, persistent, subappressed to stem. Inflorescence solitary flowers, subsessile, terminating branches; fruiting pedicels obsolete, persistent. Sepals oblong, free, deciduous, erect, equal, membranous, base of inner pair not saccate. Petals slightly longer than sepals, erect with flaring tips; blade spatulate-linear, somewhat crisped apically, apex obtuse; claw not differentiated. Stamens 6, slightly tetradynamous; filaments wingless, unappendaged, glabrous, free, not dilated at base, filiform; anthers oblong, not or apiculate at apex. Nectar glands 4, lateral, 1 on each side of lateral stamens; median glands absent. Ovules 2 per ovary; placentation subapical. Fruit indehiscent, capsular silicles, ovoid, terete, somewhat inflated, sessile, axillary and completely sandwiched between leaves, unsegmented; valves membranous, veinless, glabrous, not keeled, smooth, wingless, unappendaged; gynophore absent; replum rounded, visible; septum absent; style filiform, persistent, glabrous, 2.5-3 mm; stigma capitate, entire, unappendaged. Seeds aseriate, wingless, oblong-ovate, plump; seed coat reticulate; cotyledons incumbent or obliquely so.

One species: Peru.

Reference: Al-Shehbaz (1989d).