Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Monoecious annual herbs 0.2–0.5 m tall.

Stems: Branching phyllanthoid, the branches 5–15 cm long with watery sap, with 10–25 leaves.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades broadly elliptic to obovate, (6–)10–20(–24) mm long, (4–)5–9(–11) mm wide. Margins entire. Petioles 0.5– 0.8 mm long. Stipules lanceolate, 0.7–1.1 mm long.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary cymes on the branches, lower ones with 2–3 staminate flowers and 1–2 pistillate flowers, those above with solitary pistillate flowers. Flowers unisexual. Staminate flowers on pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm long pistillate flowers on capillary pedicels (2.5–)3–5(–8) mm long. Calyx of staminate flowers with 5 lobes; lobes, 0.4–0.7 mm long. Calyx of pistillate flower with 5 lobes; lobes, 0.6– 0.8 mm long, reflexed in fruit. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens in staminate flowers 5; filaments distinct. Ovary superior; styles distinct, bifid.

Fruit: Capsules depressed–globose; 1.7–1.9 mm in diameter; explosively dehiscent. Seeds 0.8–0.9 mm long.

Ploidy: 2n = 26

Habitat: Low elevation; disturbed areas such as yards and other urban sites.

Elevation Range: