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Maerua Forssk.
Genus composed of about 53 tropical species from Africa and Asia. They are trees, shrubs, and climbing plants with leaves alternate or in groups, simple (in North Africa) or trifoliate. Flowers actinomorphic in racemes or glomeruli, with 3-4 free sepals and variable number of petals (0-4). Stamens fused and gynophore longer than the stamens. There are 2 species in North Africa, M. crassifolia and M. oblongifolia, with a Saharo-Tropical distribution.
Key to species
1 Tree or shrub, densely pubescent; flowers without petals Maerua crassifolia
1 Subshrub, glabrous, flowers with petals Maerua oblongifolia
Updated by: H. Sáinz & J. Charco.