Moenchia Ehrh.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 145

10. Moenchia Ehrh. 1

Glabrous, usually glaucous annuals. Leaves linear to oblonglanceolate. Flowers 4- or 5-merous, solitary or in few-flowered spreading cymes; bracts white-margined. Sepals lanceolate, acute, with broad white membranous margins; petals entire or slightly emarginate; stamens 4(5) or 8(10); styles (3)4(5), opposite the sepals. Fruit a straight capsule, dehiscing with twice as many short obtuse teeth as styles. Seeds numerous, reniform, papillose.

1 Petalsexceeding the sepals; flowers 5-merous; capsule broadly ovoid 3. mantica

1 Petals shorter than or equalling the sepals; flowers 4- or 5- merous; capsule cylindrical to narrowly ovoid

2 Leaveslineartolinear-lanceolate; pedicelsnotthickened distally; flowers 4-merous 1. erecta

2 Leavesoblong-lanceolate;pedicelsthickeneddistally;flowers 5-merous 2. graeca