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Samolus repens

(Creeping Brookweed, Maakoako, Sea Primrose)

Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Creeping Brookweed, Maakoako, Sea Primrose

Description

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Family Primulaceae

Herbs perennial or annual , rarely suffruticose . Leaves alternate, opposite, or whorled , often all basal, simple , entire to lobed . Flowers solitary or in panicles, racemes , or umbels, usually with bracts, perfect , (4- or) 5(--9) -merous, often heterostylous (Primula) . Calyx persistent . Corolla gamopetalous, actinomorphic , rarely absent (Glaux) . Stamens as many as and opposite corolla lobes , ± epipetalous , occasionally with scalelike staminodes. Filaments free or connate into a tube at base . Ovary superior, rarely semi-inferior (Samolus), unilocular ; placentation free central; style simple; stigma inconspicuous, capitate. Fruit a capsule, dehiscing by valves , rarely circumscissile or indehiscent. Seeds many or few; embryo small, straight, surrounded by endosperm.

The family contains 22 genera and ca. 1000 species, occurring mainly in temperate and mountainous regions of the northern hemisphere. Twelve genera and 517 species are widely distributed throughout China, but are represented mostly in the S and W regions. The centers of diversity for Primula, Androsace, and Omphalogramma are W Sichuan, E Xizang, and NW Yunnan. Lysimachia is also highly developed in provinces S of the Chang Jiang, while Pomatosace is an endemic genus confined to a small area of NW Sichuan and Qinghai.

Many species of Primula and Androsace are cultivated for their attractive flowers as pot plants , in rock gardens, or in garden borders . Some species of Lysimachia are used medicinally. Cyclamen persicum Miller is frequently cultivated as a pot plant.Qiming Hu & Sylvia Kelso "Primulaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 15 Page 39. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.

Genus Samolus

Herbs annual or perennial . Stems erect , sometimes woody at base . Leaves alternate or sometimes basal leaves forming a rosette. Inflorescences terminal , racemose to corymbose . Calyx 5-lobed; tube fused with ovary at base or to middle . Corolla white, campanulate , 5-lobed. Stamens 5, inserted in corolla tube; filaments very short; anthers obtuse or acute at apex; staminodes 5, linear to ligulate , alternating with corolla lobes . Ovary semi-inferior; ovules numerous , semi-anatropous; style short, stigma obtuse to capitellate . Capsule globose , dehiscing by valves .

Approximately 10 species mostly inhabiting the maritime countries of the southern hemisphere; 1 species occurs in China.Qiming Hu & Sylvia Kelso "Samolus". in Flora of China Vol. 15 Page 188. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.

Physical Description

Habit: Evergreen .

Flowers: Bloom Period: June. • Flower Color: near white, white

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 6-12" tall.

Biology

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Growth

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Taxonomy

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Notes

Publishing author : Pers. Publication : Syn. Pl. (Persoon) 1: 171 1805 [1 Apr-15 Jun 1805]A tentatively accepted name in the RHS Horticultural Database.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Samolus

There are approximately 59 species in this genus:

S. africanus · S. alpina · S. alyssoides alyssoides · S. ambiguus · S. americanus · S. aquaticus · S. beccabungae-facie · S. bickfordiana · S. bracteatus · S. bracteolosus · S. caespitosus · S. campanuloides · S. caulescens · S. cinerascens · S. cuneatus cuneatus · S. decumbens · S. dichondrifolius · S. ebracteatus (Bractless Brookweed) · S. ebracteatus alyssoides (Cuneifolia Primula) · S. ebracteatus cuneatus · S. ebracteatus genuinus · S. ebracteatus subsp. alyssoides · S. ebracteatus subsp. cuneatus · S. ebracteatus subsp. genuinus · S. ebracteatus var. breviflorus · S. ebracteatus var. coahuilensis · S. eremaeus · S. flexuosus · S. floribundes · S. floribundus parviflorus · S. geniculatus · S. junceus · S. latifolius · S. littoralis · S. littoralis var. incana · S. littoralis var. littoralis · S. littoralis var. repens · S. longipes · S. nudicaulis · S. porosus · S. pyrolifolius · S. repens (Creeping Brookweed) · S. repens var. ambiguus · S. repens var. floribundus · S. repens var. incana · S. repens var. paucifolius · S. repens var. procumbens · S. spathulatus · S. subnudicaulis · S. superbus · S. vagans (Chiricahua Mountain Brookweed) · S. valerandi (Seaside Brookweed) · S. valerandi parviflorus · S. valerandi subsp. parviflorus · S. valerandi var. americanus · S. valerandi var. floribundus · S. valerandi var. repens · S. valerandi var. typicus · S. valerandii

Bibliography

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More Info

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 16, 2008:

Identifiers

Footnotes

Last Revised: August 25, 2008