Martynia L.

Annual erect herb, clothed with patent, long, glandular-viscid hairs. Leaves opposite, long-petioled, broad, palmatinerved. Flower in the axil of a deciduous bract, at the base with 2 membranous bracteoles. Calyx 5-partite to the base; segments unequal, 2 anterior ones broader than the others, posterior segment longest. Corolla obliquely campanulate-thimbleshaped, on the anterior side much dilated above the short basal part; lobes broad, very unequal, anterior one much the largest. Perfect stamens 2 (anterior ones); anthers cohering; cells widely divergent; connective glandless; staminodes 3. Disk unequalsided. Ovary 1-celled, divided into 4 compartments by 2 deeply intruding, parietal, opposite, T-shaped placentas touching in the middle rendering the ovary spuriously 4-celled; each compartment with 1 ovule pendent from its apex; stigma unequally 2-lamellate. Fruit a beaked drupe; pericarp rather thin, 2-valvate, deciduous; endocarp remaining attached during a long time to the pedicel, crowned by 2 strong, clawlike very sharp hooks, woody, with 8 strong, rounded longitudinal ribs and a central empty cavity; compartments 1-seeded. Seed oblong.