Biophytum umbraculum Welw.

Global description

Biophytum umbraculum is an elevated rosette.  It has compound, paripinnate, sensitive leaves. The base of the leaflet blade is asymmetrical. The orange-yellow flowers are grouped into sessile or pedunculated glomeruli located in the center of the rosette.

Cotyledons

The cotyledons are elliptical, extremely small in size. They are 1.2 mm long and 0.7 mm wide. They are located on top of a hypocotyl that is constantly growing.

First leaves

The first leaf is composed, paripinnate with two pairs of leaflets. It measures 5 mm. The leaflets are elliptical in shape, asymmetrical at the base and 2 mm long. Epicotyl is almost non-existent, as are the internodes, which gives the plantlet a raised rosette habit.

General habit

Biophytum umbraculum has an elevated rosette habit atop the hypocotyl. It measures 5 to 20 cm high and rarely reaches 30 cm.

Underground system

The root is a taproot, with fine secondary roots.

Stem

The stem is reduced to a narrow hypocotyl 1 to 2 mm in diameter, which progressively lengthens to a height of 5 to 20 cm. The surface is glabrous to slightly pubescent. At the leaf level, the stem is not apparent due to the reduction of internodes.

Leaf

The leaves, 2 to 6 cm long, are arranged in a rosette. They are compound, paripinnate, carrying up to 8 pairs of leaflets. The slightly pubescent rachis is 1 mm higher than the last pair of leaflets. The leaflets, 5 to 8 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide, are elliptic in shape and subsessile. The base of the limb is asymmetrical, while the apex is largely rounded. The entire margin carries a few short hairs. The lower and upper faces are glabrous or very slightly pubescent. The central vein is arched, clearly visible. Leaflets and leaves are sensitive. They close vertically in the evening or when touched.

Inflorescence

The flowers are grouped in glomeruli of 2 to 5 flowers. The glomeruli are sessile or borne by a peduncle measuring up to 4 cm. They are located in the center of the rosette.

Flower

The flowers are yellow to orange, 5 mm long and 8 wide. The calyx has 5 triangular sepals, narrow and pubescent. The corolla has 5 rectangular petals 4 mm long and 2 mm wide.

Fruit

The fruit is an ovoid capsule, 4 mm long and 2 mm wide, composed of 5 dehiscent cells. The surface is pubescent. Each cell contains 4 seeds.

Seed

The seeds are round and flat, 0.5 mm in diameter and 0.1 mm thick, orange-red in color. Their surface is tuberculous.

 

https://www.gbif.org/species/3628150