Astelia Banks & Sol. ex R.Br.

Birch, Joanne L., 2015, A revision of infrageneric classification in Astelia Banks & Sol. ex R. Br. (Asteliaceae), PhytoKeys 52, pp. 105-132 : 108

Astelia Banks & Sol. ex R.Br.

Astelia Banks & Sol. ex R.Br., Prodr. 291. 1810. nomen conservandum ( International Botanical Congress and JH Wiersema 2015). Type: Astelia alpina R.Br.

Funckia Willd., Mag. Neuesten Entdeck. Gesammten Naturk. Ges. Naturf. Freunde Berlin 2: 19. 1808, nomen rejiciendum. Type: Funckia magellanica Willdenow, nomen illegitimum ( Melanthium pumilum G. Forster)

Hamelinia A.Rich., Voy. Astrolabe 1: 158. 1832. Type: Hamelinia veratroides A.Rich.

Note.

Herbaceous perennials, terrestrial or epiphytic, often growing in clusters with three ramets in trigonal arrangement, some species turf-forming, rhizomatous, dioecious or polygamodioecious. Leaves: 3-ranked, linear, ensiform, or subulate; leaves usually keeled, margins erect or revolute; leaf sheath closed, with surface obscured by dense long white hairs; parallel venation, variously incrassate; tomentum composed of scales and lanate wool at base of scale stalk, scales with basal stalk or peltate. Inflorescence: a terminal panicle, sometimes reduced to a few flowers; lateral branches racemes or sub-panicles, subtended by foliaceous or membranous, linear or lanceolate spathes; peduncle tomentum composed of distinct, narrow scales with dense basal wool. Flowers: pedicillate; bracts membranous, linear or spathulate; perianth membranous or fleshy, 6 tepals in 2 series; connate at base into tube of variable length; outer tepals triangular to lanceolate, with three veins, scales present over entire surface; inner tepals linear with one midvein, scales present along midvein only. Staminate flowers: lobes recurved; stamens 6; filaments filamentous, adnate to tepals at base of tepal lobes; anthers elliptic or linear-hastate, dorsifixed and versatile or basifixed and immobile, latrorse; pistillode present, style undifferentiated or distinct; stigma not formed. Pistillate flowers: 6 reduced staminodes present, adnate to base of tepal lobes, filament filamentous, anthers flattened, sterile; ovary superior, uni- or trilocular, placentation parietal from three placentas or axile, with subapical placentas, ovules few to many; style distinct or undifferentiated, stigmas 3. Fruit: berry, stigma typically persistent. Seeds: black, obovoid, ellipsoid, fusiform, or polygonal; testa smooth or sculptured; funicle with mucilaginous funicular hairs poorly or well developed, funicle hairs surrounding the seeds and either adhering to the testa or not.