Description: Annual herbs, with a taproot.
Leaves alternate, margins toothed, particularly towards the apex, rarely ± entire; sessile.
Inflorescence raceme-like, flowers solitary in axils of leaf-like bracts towards the end of branches; peduncles elongating in fruit as well as bent up below fruit. Calyx shortly tubular, lobed. Corolla tube split above, 2-lipped with the upper lip consisting of 2 smaller lobes and the lower lip 3-lobed. Stamens fused into a column around the style or fused in upper part and ± free, attached to the corolla tube at the base; 3 upper anthers 3 slightly longer with short apical hairs, 2 lower ones and with longer and dense apical tufts of hairs. Ovary inferior, 2-locular; style 2-lobed, stigma branches becoming revolute and with a ring of hairs present on the style below them.
Fruit a capsule dehiscing mainly loculicidally; seeds numerous.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 20 species, mainly southern Africa with 3 species in tropical Africa. Australia: 1 species (naturalized).
Text by B. Wiecek
Taxon concept:
| One species in NSW: Monopsis debilis |
|
