Annual, biennial or perennial, often prostrate, herbs. Stipules of numerous hairs, rarely membranous or 0 [in ours?]. Leaves opposite or alternate, glabrous, fleshy. Flowers sessile or clustered at branch apices and surrounded by a group of leaves. Sepals 2, unequal, the larger
enfolding the smaller. Petals 4-5(-6), shed quickly. Stamens 4-c.100. Ovary semi-inferior. Style simple with 2-several stigmas. Capsule dehiscing transversely. Worldwide: 40 species in tropical and warm regions Malawi: 3 taxa. |
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