Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Annual or perennial herbs.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades orbiculate, obovate–orbiculate, or broadly rhombate, 1–4(–6) × 1–4(–6) cm. Apex blunt or abruptly apiculate. Base rounded or tapering, apex rounded, apiculate. Upper surfaces subglabrous; lower surfaces tomentose. Margins usually entire or nearly so. Petiolate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in spikes at first congested, becoming open, 10–45 cm long, the flowers usually 3–10 mm apart, the rachis moderately to densely villous, peduncles 1–7.5 cm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx of 5 sepals, sepals subequal to unequal, 3–7 mm long, apex acute. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens 2–5, connate at base; anthers dithecal. Ovary superior; ovule 1; style slender; stigma capitate.

Fruit: Utricles 2–2.5 mm. Seeds 1 per fruit; the surface usually lustrous; endosperm essentially absent.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Dry; sandy waste places.

Elevation Range: 0–100 m.