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Description:
Hermaphroditic, unarmed, nearly glabrous, terrestrial, annual, small herbs. Stems branched, leptocaulous. Leaves alternate, petiolate, the base scarcely sheathing, stipulate; blades simple, obovate and slightly succulant, the margins with large dentitions. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, erect, spicate to racemose (often appearing as an elongated capitulum), bracts subtending each flower; pedicels lacking to minute. Calyx a low rim or lacking; petals 5, slightly imbricate, free; stamens 5; carpels 2, ovary inferior, styles free or basally connate; the disc flattened. Fruits dry schizocarps (lacking carpophores), surface with retrorse barbs or occasionally smooth, 5-ribbed, with marginal ribs enclosing a cavity between the two mericarps and the very narrow commissure; orbicular, transversely flattened laterally; endocarp lignified.
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