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Leadwort family
Plumbaginaceae Juss.
イソマツ科
A family of herbs and shrubs widely distributed along coasts, salt marshes, and arid regions worldwide, comprising about 30 genera and 800 species. In Japan, Limonium tetragonum and related species grow natively in coastal salt marshes. Statice (Limonium) is widely used as a cut flower.
Key Characteristics
- ●Leaves often form basal rosettes
- ●Flowers are pentamerous; calyx is membranous and persistent (petal-like)
- ●Inflorescences are spicate or corymbose, retaining shape when dried
- ●Many species have salt glands that excrete excess salt from leaves
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Parallel / Pinnate / Palmate
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Shrub / Tree / Vine / Herb
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf dissection
Dissected / Undivided
Stipules
Present / Absent
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Petal count
Many
Petal fusion
Free
Ovary position
Superior
Stamen count
5
Plant sex
Hermaphrodite
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Eudicots > Core Eudicots > Caryophyllales > Plumbaginaceae
Divergence Era
Paleogene to Neogene (ca. 40–30 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Evolution of salt gland excretion mechanism and adaptation to coastal saline environments
- ・Evolution of inflorescences that retain color and shape when dried (everlasting flower trait)
- ・Coastline distribution and inter-island speciation
Plants in Leadwort family on this site
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