Herbs, annual, 6-20 cm tall, glaucous. Rootstock a slender taproot, 4-7 cm × 2-4 mm thick. Stems usually single, 2-3(-4) mm thick, usually unbranched below inflorescence, smooth and glabrous. Lowermost leaves opposite or subopposite, upper leaves alternate, largest below inflorescence; stipules absent; basal scale-leaves absent; petiole absent; leaf blade oblong-ovate, fleshy, 1-2 × 0.3-1 cm, base subtruncate to shallowly cordate, margin irregularly finely serrulate or subrepand, apex obtuse or truncate; midrib raised abaxially in dried material, lateral veins ca. 2 pairs, slender, basal. Inflorescence a terminal pseudumbel; primary involucral leaves (2 or)3, similar to normal leaves but larger; 1.5-2.5 × 1-2 cm, margin denticulate, base amplexicaul, primary rays 2 or 3, longer than involucral leaves; cymes to at least 3 × forked; cyathophylls 2, similar to primary involucral leaves but narrower, 1.5-3 × 0.6-1.8 cm. Cyathium involucre broadly campanulate, to 2 mm wide, glabrous, lobes subrounded, emarginate, glabrous; glands 5, brown or pale brown, transversely reniform. Male flowers many, exserted from involucre. Female flower: ovary pedicellate, exserted from cup; styles free or connate below middle, persistent; style arms unlobed or slightly 2-lobed. Fruiting pedicel ca. 5 mm; capsule ovoid-globose, 5-6 mm, smooth, faintly reticulate. Seeds compressed-ovoid, (3-)4-5 × ca. 3 mm, greenish brown, spotted, adaxially clear striate; caruncle peltate-cordate, orange-yellow, extremely shortly stipitate. Fl. and fr. May-Jul.
Home