Annual, erect herbs. Leaves entire, opposite. Flowers in spike-like, densely pilose, bracteate thyrses, terminal on the stems and branches. Each bract subtends a bibracteolate partial inflorescence of 4 fertile flowers and 4 bracteolate sterile flowers consisting of slender spiny processes; partial inflorescences falling as a unit, bracts persistent on the inflorescence axis. Perianth segments 5, 3-nerved, mucronate. Stamens 5, pseudostaminodes present. Ovary pilose
above and with an asymmetrical horn at the apex. Worldwide: 3-4 species in southern tropical and South Africa Zambia: 1 taxon. |
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