Corchorus aestuans
L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1079. 1759. C. acutangulus auct. non
Forsskal 1755: Masters in Fl. Brit, India 1: 398. 1874. C.
fuscus Roxb., Fl. Ind. 2: 582.
1832.
Beng.: Tilapat; Hindi: Hade-ka-khet.
Herbs, annual, much branched, suberect or spreading, 10 - 60 cm high; stems pilose, often purple. Leaves 2 - 10 x 1 - 5 cm, lanceolate to ovate, more or less rounded at base, acute at apex, serrate, basal most serrations prolonged into filiform processes or not, glabrous above, pilose with conspicuosly raised nerves beneath, 3 - 5-nerved; nerves hairy to almost glabrous; petioles 0.5 - 4 cm long, pilose, grooved, purple; stipules 5 - 10 mm long, setaceous, sparsely hairy, purplish green. Flowers 2 - 3 in leaf-opposed, shortly pedunculate cymes, ca 1 cm across; pedicels ca 2 mm long, jointed near apex; bracts 4 - 6 mm long, filiform, purple. Sepals 3 - 4 mm long, linear-oblong, hooded and apiculate, purple-dotted inside, green outside, glabrous. Petals 3 - 5 mm long, obovate, obtuse with a glandular claw, hairy at base, yellow. Stamens 12 - 30. Carpels 3; ovary ca 2 mm long, cylindric, pubescent, 3-loculed; style 3-fid, ca 1.5 mm long; stigma 2-lobed. Capsules solitary or paired, 10 - 30 x 4 - 6 mm, 6-angled, 3 of the angles winged, truncate with 3, 2-fid, 3 - 7 mm long, diverging, glabrous beaks at top, 3-loculed, locules transversely septate or aseptate. Seeds numerous, truncate at both ends, dark brown.
Fl. & Fr. Aug. - Feb.
Distrib. India: Common throughout, in moist situations.
Pantropical.
Herbs, annual, much branched, suberect or spreading, 10 - 60 cm high; stems pilose, often purple. Leaves 2 - 10 x 1 - 5 cm, lanceolate to ovate, more or less rounded at base, acute at apex, serrate, basal most serrations prolonged into filiform processes or not, glabrous above, pilose with conspicuosly raised nerves beneath, 3 - 5-nerved; nerves hairy to almost glabrous; petioles 0.5 - 4 cm long, pilose, grooved, purple; stipules 5 - 10 mm long, setaceous, sparsely hairy, purplish green. Flowers 2 - 3 in leaf-opposed, shortly pedunculate cymes, ca 1 cm across; pedicels ca 2 mm long, jointed near apex; bracts 4 - 6 mm long, filiform, purple. Sepals 3 - 4 mm long, linear-oblong, hooded and apiculate, purple-dotted inside, green outside, glabrous. Petals 3 - 5 mm long, obovate, obtuse with a glandular claw, hairy at base, yellow. Stamens 12 - 30. Carpels 3; ovary ca 2 mm long, cylindric, pubescent, 3-loculed; style 3-fid, ca 1.5 mm long; stigma 2-lobed. Capsules solitary or paired, 10 - 30 x 4 - 6 mm, 6-angled, 3 of the angles winged, truncate with 3, 2-fid, 3 - 7 mm long, diverging, glabrous beaks at top, 3-loculed, locules transversely septate or aseptate. Seeds numerous, truncate at both ends, dark brown.
Fl. & Fr. Aug. - Feb.
Distrib. India: Common throughout, in moist situations.
Pantropical.
