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Annual hydrophytic herbs. Stems somewhat succulent, with large vertical air-passages in the cortex. Leaves alternate, simple, entire; stipules absent. Inflorescence a dense terminal or leaf-apposed spike; small bracts subtending each flower; bracteoles 2. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic. Sepals 5, fused, lobes imbricate. Petals 5, fused, urceolate-campanulate, lobes imbricate, caducous. Stamens 5, alternate to corolla lobes; filaments attached to base of corolla tube; anthers tetrasporangiate and dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Gynoecium of 2 carpels, united; ovary semi-inferior or inferior, bilocular; ovules numerous on large spongy axile placentas; styles lacking or very short; stigma capitate or obscurely 4-lobed, lacking collecting hairs. Fruit a capsule, membranous, circumscissile. Seeds many, small; embryo straight; endosperm more or less absent.
Annual (?)laticiferous herbs, with the habit of Phytolacca. Stem erect, somewhat succulent. Leaves spirally arranged, simple, entire, exstipulate. Inflorescences terminal, densely spicate, acropetal. Flowers subtended by a bract and two bracteoles, bisexual, actinomorphic. Calyx tube adnate to the ovary; segments 5, united below, imbricate, connivent, persistent. Corolla campanulate-urceolate, perigynous; lobes 5, imbricate. Stamens 5, epipetalous, alternating with the corolla lobes; filaments short; anthers rounded, 2-locular, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary semi-inferior, 2-locular; style short, stigma capitate; ovules ∞, attached to large spongy stipitate axile placentas. Capsule cuneate-obconic, 2-locular, membranous, circumscissile; seeds ∞, minute, oblong, rugose-costate, albumen very scanty or none (?); embryo axile, straight, subterete.
Annual (?)laticiferous herbs, with the habit of Phytolacca. Stem erect, somewhat succulent. Leaves spirally arranged, simple, entire, exstipulate. Inflorescences terminal, densely spicate, acropetal. Flowers subtended by a bract and two bracteoles, bisexual, actinomorphic. Calyx tube adnate to the ovary; segments 5, united below, imbricate, connivent, persistent. Corolla campanulate-urceolate, perigynous; lobes 5, imbricate. Stamens 5, epipetalous, alternating with the corolla lobes; filaments short; anthers rounded, 2-locular, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary semi-inferior, 2-locular; style short, stigma capitate; ovules ∞, attached to large spongy stipitate axile placentas. Capsule cuneate-obconic, 2-locular, membranous, circumscissile; seeds ∞, minute, oblong, rugose-costate, albumen very scanty or none (?); embryo axile, straight, subterete.
Morphological characters and geographic distribution are the same as those of the family.
Characters as for the family.
Characters of the family
