Beta vulgaris L.

Common beet


Species recognized by The Integrated Taxonomic Information System external link, T Orrell (custodian) in 
IUCN Red List Status: NOT EVALUATED external link Showing: scientific names

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Beta vulgaris L.

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Beta-vulgaris-ssp.-maritima
Beta-vulgaris-ssp.-maritima
Beta-vulgaris-ssp.-maritima
Beta vulgaris L.
Beta vulgaris
Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima
Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima
Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima

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General Description

Description

Source and Additional Information
Project
Editor
S. I. Ali & M. Qaiser
Location
Citation
Flora of Pakistan Vol. 204 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.

Annual to perennating stout herb, glabrous to hirsute, up to 100 cm long, decumbent to erect, branched and leafy, green to purplish-violaceous; roots slender to tuberous with sugar storage. Leaves usually up to 12 x 6 cm, petiolate; radical rosulate, ovate, cuneate to subcordate; cauline rhombic-oblong to linear-lanceolate. Floral clusters (1-) 2-4-flowered, arranged in long, slender, ± interrupted spikes, uaually with smaller subtending leaves (bracts); bracteoles very small or aborted. Perianth herbaceous, green, 2-5 mm long, as long as or exceeding the diameter of the fruit, united and indurated below, usually incurved and ± keeled.
References

Comments

Source and Additional Information
Project
Editor
Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan
Location
Citation
Flora of China Vol. 5: 354 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.

This species is highly variable, with many subspecies, varieties, and forms described. Four cultivated varieties are here recognized in China.

Description

Source and Additional Information
Project
Editor
Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan
Location
Citation
Flora of China Vol. 5: 354 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.

Herbs annual or biennial. Root stout, tuberlike, and napiform or fusiform, or branched and not tuberlike. Stem erect, ± branched, ribbed, striate. Basal leaves long petiolate; petiole stout, abaxially convex, adaxially flattened or slightly concave; leaf blade oblong, 20-30 × 10-15 cm, adaxially crisped, sublustrous, abaxially with strongly protruding veins, base cuneate, truncate, or slightly cordate, margin entire or undulate, apex obtuse. Cauline leaves alternate, smaller than basal ones; leaf blade ovate or lanceolate-oblong, base gradually narrowed into petiole, apex attenuate. Flowers 2- or 3-glomerulate. Perianth united at base; segments linear or narrowly oblong, becoming leathery and incurved in fruit. Utricle basally sunken into perianth, distally subsucculent. Seed red-brown, sublustrous, lenticular, 2-3 mm in diam.; perisperm farinaceous. Fl. May-Sep, fr. Jul.

Description

Source and Additional Information
Project
Editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
Location
Citation
Flora of North America Vol. 4: 259, 265, 266 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.

Roots fibrous or fleshy. Leaves: petiole 1/2-2/3 or equaling blade length; blade dark red to green, usually with pronounced midrib, somewhat fleshy. Inflorescences cymes, 1-8-flowered, interrupted towards base. Perianth urn-shaped; segments 3-5 × 2-3 mm; receptacle pelviform. Achenes 5-11 per cluster, 3-5 mm. Seeds 1.5-2 mm.
References
"Beta vulgaris L.". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/585884". Accessed 21 Mar 2010.