A. RADCLIFFE-SMITH

A slender, erect annual herb up to 1 in, but more commonly 6 dm in height. Stems sparingly puberulous, sometimes also slightly pilose. Petioles upto 7 cm long. Leaf-blade elliptic-ovate, 3-8 x 1.5-4 cm, acutely or subacutely caudate-acuminate, cuneate or rounded, crenate-serrate, 3-5-nerved from the base, sparingly pubescent along the midrib and main nerves above and beneath, otherwise ± glabrous. Stipules filiform, 2 mm long. Inflorescences axillary, sessile, androgynous, spicate, up to 2 cm long, dense-flowered, the lower 2/3 ♀, the upper 1/3 ♂, sometimes terminated by a pedicellate allomorphic ♀ flower. ♀ bracts transversely ovate, laciniate-fimbriate, accrescent to 6 x 12 mm, the segments 1.5-3 mm long, faintly ribbed, sparingly pubescent or subglabrous, the segments ciliate, 1-flowered. Male flowers subsessile; buds granulate; Female flowers sessile; sepals ovate-lanceolate, 1 mm long, ciliate; ovary subtrilobate, 0.3 mm diam., sparingly pubescent above; styles 2 mm long, laciniate, white. Allomorphic ♀ flowers obovoid, with 2 lateral fimbriate whorls, pubescent. Fruits trilobate, 2.5 mm diam, smooth, subglabrous. Seeds ovoid-subglobose, 1.3 mm long, ± smooth, brown.

Holotype: Yemen Arab Republic, Ta’izz [Taess], April 1763, Forsskal s.n. (C); (IOC Microfiche 200-1/1: I. 1, 2!).

Distribution: Throughout Tropical Africa, S. Arabia, NE. Pakistan (E. of the Indus), NW. India (Himalayas), Orissa, SW. India, Sri Lanka. Local; 2-6000'/600-1800 m.