Flora of New Zealand Series

Unarmed annual or perennial herbs, glandular-hairy and ± viscid. Lvs mostly alternate, simple, entire, petiolate. Fls solitary and axillary or in terminal racemes with the lvs gradually passing into bracts. Calyx deeply 5-toothed; teeth linear, oblong, or spathulate. Corolla funnelform or salverform, rolled inwards in bud, of most colours; tube with narrow-cylindric base; lobes 5, shallow, equal or slightly irregular with limb slightly oblique. Stamens included, 4 in 2 pairs, with 1 small or rudimentary staminode inserted around or below middle of corolla tube. Capsule small; valves 2. Seeds numerous, tiny, rugose.

40 spp., tropical America, especially Brazil. Naturalised sp. 1, and 1 cultivated hybrid.

Fig. 115. Fls of Petunia and Salpiglossis. A P. × hybrida; B S. sinuata. © All rights reserved. [Image: 4X3U]