Description: Perennial or annual herbs, sometimes woody at base, minutely papillose, especially on new growth.
Leaves opposite, flat, upper surface green, lower surface paler; petiole long, scarious at base.
Flowers 3–20, in dense axillary dichasia, sometimes shortly pedunculate, with one small scarious bract and two bracteoles per flower. Perianth fused at the base; perianth segments 5, margins wide, scarious. Stamens 5–10, rarely more; staminodes absent. Ovary superior, styles and loculi 2; ovules usually 2 per loculus; placentation basal.
Fruit a cylindrical capsule, truncate with raised outer margin, circumsciss near base, the upper part (operculum) splitting in 2, each segment with 1 seed, the lower part remaining attached to the plant and containing 2 seeds; seeds 4, wrinkled.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 3 species, tropical & subtropical regions. Australia: 1 species (endemic).
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & J. Highet
Taxon concept:
| One species in NSW: Zaleya galericulata |
|
