Home
Sep in ours 3, the 2 upper (as the fl hangs on the pedicel) small, the lower one saccate, open in front, spurred at the closed end of the sac; pet apparently 3, the upper one often broader than long, each of the 2 lateral ones lobed in our spp. and regarded as 2 pet united; fr dehiscing elastically into 5 valves. 450, widespread but mainly trop. Asia and Afr.
Annuals in our species; stems glabrous. Leaves serrate to crenate-denticulate, petiolate. Inflorescences axillary. Flowers pedicellate; sepals 3; the lateral petals connate in pairs. Fruit an elastically dehiscent, glabrous or pubescent capsule.
Morphological characters are the same as those of the family, except: lateral petals always united in pairs into lateral, united petals; fruit a fleshy, explosive capsule; seeds often dispersed elastically from valves when ripe.
Lateral petals (wings) united and corolla apparently 3-petalled. Fr. an oblong to linear, succulent capsule opening explosively.
Flowers sometimes cleistogamous (rarely both cleistogamous and normal ones in the same inflorescence), pedicellate.
Inflorescences axillary and or of terminal simple racemes or pseudumbels or fascicles, or the flowers solitary.
Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes shrubby; stems usually succulent, rarely woody, glabrous or pilose.
Seeds smooth or tuberculate or rugose, glabrous or pilose.
Leaves verticillate or opposite or spirally arranged.
Sepals, petals and sexual organs as for the family.
Fruit glabrous or pilose or sometimes tomentose.
