Content is from Kirkbride et al. 2006, without modification. Updates are forthcoming.
Fruits: Pistil(s) compound; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels united. Fruit pericarpium; simple; capsule; loculicidal capsule; capsule not inflated; capsule without operculum; without persistent central column; more than 1 but less than 10-seeded to 25 to less than 50-seeded; 6–30-seeded; from 1–5 cm long to from 5.1–10 cm long; (3–)4(–9) cm long ((3-)4–8(-9)); with 3-carpellate; with carpels united; with carpels remaining united at maturity; with carpels remaining connected at style; without sterile carpels; not sulcate; apex beaked; apex very short beaked; wall chartaceous; dehiscent. Dehiscent unit seed(s). Dehiscent passively; linearly; by dorsal sutures and ventral sutures; at apex; and shedding seeds; without replum. Epicarp brown (all shades); dull; durable; not glabrous (with hairs); hairs short; hairs dense (assumed); hairs not glandular; without armature; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Endocarp present; not separating from exocarp; thin; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; smooth; without wing; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without mechanism for seedling escape; without grooves; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds: Aril absent. Seed larger than minute; 5 to less than 10 mm long to 10 to less than 25 mm long; 7–11 mm long; oblong; in transection flattened; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity without apparent food reserves (essentially because 1-cell thick), or with food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; with markedly different marginal tissue; marginal tissue winglike; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; tight; surface unsmooth; surface with merged raised features; surface wrinkled; with crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; without glands; without bristles; glabrous; with wing(s) (thin wing longer than seed); 1-winged; with wing encompassing seed; with wing(s) solid; with solid wing(s) similar to testa; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; brown (all shades); fleshy (soft pithlike); not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding embryo (endosperm 1-celled thick). Endosperm scant, or trace (1-celled thick); without fatty acid containing cyclopropene; without apical lobes; without chlorophyll; without isodiametric faceted surface; without odor. Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; completely filling testa (no food reserve); chamber central to wings; 1 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; foliate; with investing cotyledons; straight; parallel to seed length; with cotyledons abruptly connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; well developed; not divaricate; 0.7 times length of embryo; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle; 1 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle; partially concealing hypocotyl-radicle; flat; smooth; with apices entire; with margins separate; basally cordate; equal in size; not punctate dotted.
Literature specific to this family: Iltis, H.H. 1999. Setchellanthaceae (Capparales), a new family for a relictual, glucosinolate-producing endemic of the Mexican deserts. Taxon 48:257–275; Tobe, H., S. Carlquist, & H.H. Iltis. 1999. Reproductive anatomy and relationships of Setchellantus caeruleus (Setchellanthaceae). Taxon 48:277–283.
Authors: M. Islam, A. Miller, M. Maher, J. Scher, A. Redford
Content last updated November 2022
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