Hedysarum

Hedysarum (Sweetvetch) is a genus of the botanical family Fabaceae, consisting of about 309 species of annual or perennial herbs in Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North America.

Hedysarum leaves are imparipinnate, with leaflets entire. Stipels are absent, with stipules free or connate. Inflorescences are peduncled racemes or heads. Bracts are small, with bracteoles below the calyx, and calyx teeth subequal. Corolla are pink, purplish, yellow, or whitish. Vexillum are longer than the wings, with an obtuse keel longer or rarely shorter than the wings. Stamens are diadelphous, 9+1, and anthers uniform. Ovary is 2-8-ovuled. Fruit is a lomentum, with segments glabrous, pubescent, bristly, or spiny.

Some species, such as Hedysarum alpinum, were eaten by the Inuit to help ward off the effects of scurvy due to it being rich in vitamin C.


Selected species
Hedysarum coronarium (French honeysuckle, cock's head) is a perennial herb native to Northern Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia) and Spain, cultivated for animal fodder and hay, and for honey production. The plant is deep-rooted and drought-resistant, growing to 1-1.5 m tall with leaves imparipinnate with 7–11 leaflets. Flowers are red, with the standard 12–15 mm long; fruits are jointed and comprised of 2–4 spinulose articles. Pods have a yellow thorny surface that turns brown at maturity.

Hedysarum abyssinicum

Hedysarum argyreum

Hedysarum argyrophyllum

Hedysarum alabukense

Hedysarum alaicum

Hedysarum acuminatum

Hedysarum acutifolium

Hedysarum acayucense

Hedysarum armenium

Hedysarum armenum

Hedysarum articulatum

Hedysarum ascendens

Hedysarum asperum

Hedysarum aequidentatum

Hedysarum ahilum

Hedysarum aikini

Hedysarum aikinianum

Hedysarum adhaerens

Hedysarum adscendens

Hedysarum alamani

Hedysarum aculeolatum

Haageocereus

Haageocereus is a genus of cactus.


Selected species
Haageocereus fascicularis

Haageocereus pseudomelanostele

Haageocereus tenuis

Calamintha

Calamintha is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. There are about thirty species in the genus which is native to the northern temperate regions of Europe, Asia and America.

USES
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Welwitschia

Welwitschia is a monotypic genus of gymnosperm plant, comprised solely of the very distinct Welwitschia mirabilis. It is the only genus of the family Welwitschiaceae, in the order Welwitschiales, in the division Gnetophyta. The plant is... more >>>

Fascicularia

Fascicularia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae with very few species. The genus Fascicularia is indigenous to Chile. In the wild, all Fascicularias are either terrestrial or saxicolous.

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Kalimeris Asters

Kalimeris (or the Kalimeris Asters) is a small genus with 8 species from the sunflower family.

It was first described in 1825 by the French botanist Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassini (1781-1832).

This genus... more >>>