Polycarpon Loefl. ex L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 153

19. Polycarpon Loefl. ex L. 1

Small herbs; stems ascending or erect, usually branched, usually rough at angles. Leaves obovate to orbicular, more or less petiolate, opposite, often apparently verticillate. Flowers small, in cymose clusters with scarious bracts. Sepals 5; petals 5, hyaline, shorter than sepals; stamens 1-5, filaments more or less united at base; style short, 3-lobed. Capsule dehiscing with 3 valves almost to base; valves twisting spirally into tubes. Seeds several. The treatment accorded to this genus in the past has been very varied. The following account treats as species the four more or less discrete variants. Experimental investigation is needed.

1 Perennial, with a woody stock; stipules and bracts inconspicuous, greyish; petals entire; stamens 5; seeds tuberculate (coastal) 4. polycarpoides 1 Annual, rarely biennial or perennial, without a woody stock; stipules and bracts ± conspicuous and silvery; petals usually emarginate; seeds smooth or punctulate

2 Leaves not purplish-tinged; inflorescence lax, spreading, with many conspicuous branches; sepals mostly less than 2 mm (usually inland) 1. tetraphyllum 2 Leaves often purplish-tinged; inflorescence ±condensed, fewflowered, usually without conspicuous branches, sepals more than 2 mm (usually coastal)

3 Stems usually simple; leaves paired, very rarely whorled, always purplish-tinged at least near base of plant; stamens

1-3 2. diphyllum 3 Stems often branched; usually at least some leaves near middle of stem in whorls of 4; leaves not purplish-tinged; stamens 5 3. alsinifolium