BETAL. - BEET
Scientific Description:
Annual to perennial, glabrous or slightly hairy herbs. Leaves alternate, entire, the basal long-petiolate. Flowers hermaphrodite, 1-few in axillary clusters. Bracteoles 2. Perianth segments 5, usually green, keeled, entire or laciniate, the lower part thickening, hardening and fusing with those of other flowers and the receptacle in fruit. Stamens 5. Stigmas 2−3. Ovary semi-inferior. Fruit opening by a lid. Seed horizontal.
Reference:
Aellen P (1967).Beta L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2: 296−297.
Public Description:
Beta is a genus of annual or perennial herbs known as “beet”, and is distributed in the Atlantic coast of Europe, the Mediterranean coastline,the Near East, and parts of Asia including India. It often has fleshy and thickened roots and small flowers in spikes.There are 9 species in the world and also 9 species (12 taxa) in Türkiye. The best known member is the “common beet (Beta vulgaris L.)”. Food and industrial plants such as sugar beet, beetroot, chard and fodder beet are the cultural forms of Beta vulgaris.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_(plant)/, Accessed date: 04.01.2016.
Anonymous 2 (2016). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Amaranthaceae/Beta//, Accessed date: 04.01.2016.
Yaprak A E (2012). Beta L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 23–24.
