Much-branched ± procumbent trailing herb with fibrous rootstock; stems slender, rooting at the nodes.. Leaf-blade triangular, hastate or sagittate in outline, punctate above, glabrous beneath, entire or slightly sinuate-toothed, 28–63 mm. long, 30–50 mm. broad, ± 3-lobed; lobes sub-triangular, apiculate; petiole glabrous, 11–45 mm. long.. Monoecious.. Male flowers 3–18 in subumbelliform clusters, rarely solitary; peduncles 4–50 mm. long; pedicels 2–10 mm. long; receptacle-tube 2.5–3.5 mm. long; lobes subulate, 0.5 mm. long; petals white, ovate-elliptic, slightly narrowed below, 3.5–6 mm. long, 1.5–3 mm. broad; stamens 3, shortly inserted.. Female flowers solitary on 4–20 mm. long pedicels; ovary fusiform, 12–16 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. across; receptacle-tube ± 2.5 mm. long; lobes subulate, up to 1 mm. long; petals ± 5 mm. long, 2–3–3.5 mm. broad.. Fruit on a 10–20 mm. long stalk, fusiform, beaked, 13–28 mm. long, 7–10 mm. across, geotropic on ripening.. Seeds (fig. 21/13, p. 120) asymmetrically ovate in outline, with broad edges, prominent raised margins and somewhat depressed convex disk, 4.5–5 × 2.5–2.8 × 1 mm.
Home