Peganum Linn., Sp.Pl. 444. 1753. Gen.Pl.ed.5.204. 1754 ;Benth. & Hook.,Gen. Pl. 1:287.1862; Engler in Engler & Prantl, Natur. Pflanzenfam. ed.2. 19a:154.1931; Hutch., Gen. Fl. Pl. 2:615.1968.
Erect, pubescent or glabrous, perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, multifid, rarely entire, eglandular; stipules setaceous. Flowers solitary, antiphyllous, pedicellate, actinomorphic, hypogynous; disc small, annular or angular. Sepals 4-5, free, linear, entire, pinnatifid or pinnate, persistent. Petals 4-5, free, slightly unequal, neither cucullate nor clawed, imbricate. Stamens (8-) 12-15, inserted at the base of the disc, filaments dilated at the base. Carpels 3-4; ovary sessile, globose, sulcate, 3-4-loculed, each locule many ovuled; style long, simple, basal, keeled in the upper part, keels stigmatose. Fruit a globose, 3-4-loculed, loculicidally dehiscent capsule, rarely baccate and indehiscent. Seeds pitted. angular, testa spongy, endosperm fleshy, embryo curved.
A small genus of 6 species, distributed in deserts from Mediterranean to Mongolia and southern United States to Mexico.
