Phytolacca acinosa Roxb.

Family Description

Fleshy perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, pinnately veined, entire, exstipulate. Flowers in leaf-opposed or terminal bracteate racemes, bisexual, actinomorphic. Perinath of 4-5 segments, connate at base. Stamens 8-12,inserted at baes of perianth, filaments persistent. Ovary superior, subglobose, of 6-8 carpels connate only at base,ovule; e 1 per carpel, style filiform, terminal on each carpel. Fruit berry-like, subglobose, of 6-8 fleshy 1-seeded carpels.

Genus Description

Fleshy perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, pinnately veined, entire, exstipulate. Flowers in leaf-opposed or terminal bracteate racemes, bisexual, actinomorphic. Perinath of 4-5 segments, connate at base. Stamens 8-12,inserted at baes of perianth, filaments persistent. Ovary superior, subglobose, of 6-8 carpels connate only at base,ovule; e 1 per carpel, style filiform, terminal on each carpel. Fruit berry-like, subglobose, of 6-8 fleshy 1-seeded carpels.

Species description

Stem erect, often purplish, 45-130cm. Leave elliptic, 8-30 x 2.5-12cm, acute, base attenuate, entire, glabrous but with numerous minute linear cystoliths on lower surface visible when dry; petioles 1-4cm. Recemes dense, 8-20cm, pinkish; pedicels 6-10cm, bracts and bracteoles linear. Perianth segments elliptic, c 5 x 3mm, obtuse, green at first becoming purplish. Fruit depressed-globose, 8-10cm across; carpels c 4mm, dark purple.