Volume 10 > Part 2 > Year 2010 > Page 263 > Verbenaceae

Verbena L.

Sp. Pl. 1: 18. 1753. Munir, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 20. 21–103. 2002; S.Atkins in Kadereit, Fam. Gen. Vasc. Pl. VII: 463. 2004.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, leaves decussate, margin dentate or lobed, inflorescence terminal, rarely axillary, a simple spike or panicle of spikes; bracts small, inconspicuous; flowers sessile; calyx tubular, 5-toothed; stamens 4, inserted at middle of tube; posterior anthers sometimes with dorsal connective; style short, stigma usually bifid, ovary 2-carpellate, carpels 2-locular; fruit a dry schizocarp splitting into 4 1-seeded mericarps.

Between 200 and 250 species in tropical and temperate America with a few in Europe, Asia and N Africa.