Information

Annual herb with a small taproot; stem up to 30–60 cm tall, virgately branched above, nearly leafless; ribs raised and terminating in midribs of scale leaves and bracts. Leaves: developed leaves only 2 near base of stem, opposite, linear, ± 15x0.4–0.5 mm, acute, involute above; scale leaves closely appressed, lanceolate, ± 1.5–3x1–1.5 mm, acuminate, midrib strongly raised beneath. Flowers either solitary or in very compact 3-flowered cymules, sessile, 10–30 in laxly branched spikes that may grow out into sterile scaly tips; bracts lanceolate, 1.5–3.5x1.7–2 mm, acuminate, margins membranous, somewhat erose, midrib strongly raised on outer surface; bracteoles 2, similar, sometimes slightly larger. Perianth yellow-green; tube 0.4–0.5 mm long, with glands no more than slight swellings below sinuses of lobes; lobes triangular, 0.8–1.1 mm long, subacute, margins inflexed, sometimes slightly erose near base. Stamens inserted at base of perianth lobes; filaments 0.3–0.5 mm long, nearly hidden by anthers or visible; anthers 0.4–0.7 mm long. Style ± 0.8–1 mm long; stigma reaching top of anthers. Fruit bright red-brown, obovoid, 3–4 mm long, 2.5–3 mm in diameter, strongly ribbed and reticulate. Fig. 1/4, 5 (page 4).

Information

Annual herb with a small taproot; stem up to 30–60 cm tall, virgately branched above, nearly leafless; ribs raised and terminating in midribs of scale leaves and bracts. Leaves: developed leaves only 2 near base of stem, opposite, linear, ± 15x0.4–0.5 mm, acute, involute above; scale leaves closely appressed, lanceolate, ± 1.5–3x1–1.5 mm, acuminate, midrib strongly raised beneath. Flowers either solitary or in very compact 3-flowered cymules, sessile, 10–30 in laxly branched spikes that may grow out into sterile scaly tips; bracts lanceolate, 1.5–3.5x1.7–2 mm, acuminate, margins membranous, somewhat erose, midrib strongly raised on outer surface; bracteoles 2, similar, sometimes slightly larger. Perianth yellow-green; tube 0.4–0.5 mm long, with glands no more than slight swellings below sinuses of lobes; lobes triangular, 0.8–1.1 mm long, subacute, margins inflexed, sometimes slightly erose near base. Stamens inserted at base of perianth lobes; filaments 0.3–0.5 mm long, nearly hidden by anthers or visible; anthers 0.4–0.7 mm long. Style ± 0.8–1 mm long; stigma reaching top of anthers. Fruit bright red-brown, obovoid, 3–4 mm long, 2.5–3 mm in diameter, strongly ribbed and reticulate. Fig. 1/4, 5 (page 4).

Information

Annual herb with a small taproot; stem up to 30–60 cm tall, virgately branched above, nearly leafless; ribs raised and terminating in midribs of scale leaves and bracts. Leaves: developed leaves only 2 near base of stem, opposite, linear, ± 15x0.4–0.5 mm, acute, involute above; scale leaves closely appressed, lanceolate, ± 1.5–3x1–1.5 mm, acuminate, midrib strongly raised beneath. Flowers either solitary or in very compact 3-flowered cymules, sessile, 10–30 in laxly branched spikes that may grow out into sterile scaly tips; bracts lanceolate, 1.5–3.5x1.7–2 mm, acuminate, margins membranous, somewhat erose, midrib strongly raised on outer surface; bracteoles 2, similar, sometimes slightly larger. Perianth yellow-green; tube 0.4–0.5 mm long, with glands no more than slight swellings below sinuses of lobes; lobes triangular, 0.8–1.1 mm long, subacute, margins inflexed, sometimes slightly erose near base. Stamens inserted at base of perianth lobes; filaments 0.3–0.5 mm long, nearly hidden by anthers or visible; anthers 0.4–0.7 mm long. Style ± 0.8–1 mm long; stigma reaching top of anthers. Fruit bright red-brown, obovoid, 3–4 mm long, 2.5–3 mm in diameter, strongly ribbed and reticulate. Fig. 1/4, 5 (page 4).