Abstract
ABSTRACTThe genus Mollugo L. comprises ca. 35 species distributed throughout the tropics, and it is clearly polyphyletic. The seed morphology and ornamentation of 27 Mollugo representatives is studied with regard to their significance for systematics and taxon delimitation. The species belonging to the “M. cerviana” and “M. fragilis” groups, as well as M. tenella, are characterized by D-shaped or roundish seeds, whereas other taxa have reniform seeds. The seed ornamentation can be considered to be one of the most valuable characters for disentangling the taxonomic diversity in the genus. Mollugo cerviana shares the same reticulate ornamentation with M. namaquensis, M. pusilla, M. tenella and M. tenuissima, while the smooth surface is peculiar to M. fragilis, M. spathulata and M. walteri. The close relationship of M. fragilis and relatives to Hypertelis spergulacea is carpologically supported. Some taxa share a papillate ornamentation (M. decandra, M. floriana, M. molluginis, M. nudicaulis, M. pentaphylla,...
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