BOTANY WITH BASICS OF HYDROBOTANY (AQUATIC PLANTS OF UKRAINE) - B.Ye. Yakubenko - 2011

X. SEED PLANTS

Order Primulales

Trees, shrubs, and herbs with alternate, or less frequently opposite or whorled, phyllotaxy. Leaves simple, entire or toothed, exstipulate. Flowers in various inflorescences or occasionally solitary, bisexual (or rarely unisexual), typically actinomorphic, mostly pentamerous. Sepals free or, more commonly, connate to a greater or lesser degree. Corolla sympetalous, occasionally polypetalous, or entirely absent. Stamens usually equal in number to the petals and opposite them, mostly adnate to the corolla tube or occasionally nearly free. In representatives of some families, besides the inner whorl of fertile stamens opposite the petals, there is also an outer whorl of petaloid, gland-like, or scale-like staminodes opposite the sepals. Gynoecium syncarpous (lysicarpous), formed by the fusion of five carpels, with a simple or lobed style, often with a capitate stigma. Ovary superior, occasionally semi-inferior or inferior, mostly with numerous ovules. Fruit a berry, drupe, or capsule.

The order comprises four families, about 65 genera, and over 2,110 species. In Ukraine, the order is represented by only one family (Primulaceae), a single genus, and 33 species.