Description: Annual herbs, stellate-hairy; monoecious.
Leaves alternate, petiolate.
Male flowers sessile in terminal spike-like racemes or axillary clusters; female flowers solitary or few at the base of the male. Male flowers with 5 sepals; 5 petals; stamens 5–10, on a short column; stamens monadelphous. Female flowers with calyx of 10 segments; petals usually absent; ovary 3-locular, each loculus with 1 ovule; styles 3.
Capsule drooping, with three, 1-seeded fruitlets; seeds without a caruncle.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 15 species, Mediterranean region to Asia. Australia: 1 species (naturalized).
Text by T. A. James & G. J. Harden
Taxon concept:
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