Iresine

P. Browne

Civ. Nat. Hist. Jam aica, 358. 1756.

Common names: Bloodleaf
Etymology: Greek eiresione, a wreath or staff entwined with strips of wool, alluding to the long woolly hairs often encircling the calyx
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 454. Mentioned on page 405, 406.

Herbs, shrubs or vines, annual or perennial, polygamous or dioecious. Stems erect to prostrate, often trailing. Leaves opposite or alternate, petiolate; blade elliptic, ovate, or lanceolate to lance-oblong, margins entire or serrulate, glabrous or pubescent. Inflorescences terminal, diffuse, open panicles of spikes and axillary spikes; bracts and bracteoles membranous. Flowers unisexual; tepals 5, basally connate or distinct, 1–3-veined; stamens mostly 5; filaments connate basally; anthers 2-locular; pseudostaminodes absent or short; ovule 1; style 1, ca. 0.2 mm; stigmas 2–3, slender or capitate. Utricles globose, membranous, dehiscing irregularly. Seeds 1, dark red or reddish-brown, lenticular. x = 15.

Distribution

Mostly littoral in tropical and subtropical America (including Galápagos Islands), Asia (s Japan), and w Africa.

Discussion

Species ca. 70 (5 in the flora).

Key

1 Leaves alternate Iresine leptoclada
1 Leaves opposite > 2
2 Stems woody nearly throughout; tepals of pistillate flowers ± equaling bractlets Iresine palmeri
2 Stems herbaceous; tepals of pistillate flowers longer than bractlets > 3
3 Plants annual or weakly perennial, 4-30 dm; tepals 0.6-0.8 mm, apex obtuse or rounded Iresine diffusa
3 Plants perennial, 3-10 dm; tepals 1-1.3 mm, apex acute to acuminate > 4
4 Leaf blades 6-15 cm; tepals of pistillate flowers shorter than utricle Iresine rhizomatosa
4 Leaf blades 3-6 cm; tepals of pistillate flowers longer than utricle Iresine heterophylla
... more about "Iresine"
Steven E. Clemants +
P. Browne +
Bloodleaf +
Mostly littoral in tropical and subtropical America (including Galápagos Islands) +, Asia (s Japan) +  and and w Africa. +
Greek eiresione, a wreath or staff entwined with strips of wool, alluding to the long woolly hairs often encircling the calyx +
Civ. Nat. Hist. Jam aica, +
henrickson1986a +
Iresine +
Amaranthaceae +