Biophytum petersianum Klotzsch in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 1: 81, t. 15. 1862; Veldk., Fl. Thailand 2: 18. 1970 & in Steenis, Fl. Males. ser. 1. 7(1): 161. 1971. Oxalis apodiscias Turcz. in Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 36: 595. 1863. Biophytum apodiscias (Turcz.) Edgew. & Hook. f. in Fl. Brit. India 1: 437. 1874.

Herbs, stems simple, up to 15 cm long. Leaves 3 - 9 pairs; rachis 5 - 3 mm long, glabrous to appressed-pubescent mainly at nodes; leaflets overlapping; terminal ones 2 - 8 x 2 - 5 mm, obovate, mid nerve eccentric; others triangular, orbicular or elliptic, rounded to obtuse at apex, glabrous or sparsely ciliate along margins, midnerve median. Pedicels 1 - 3 mm long with few bristly hairs. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, acute, 3 - 5 x 1 - 2 mm, sparsely hairy. Petals lanceolate, 5 - 6 x 1 - 2 mm, yellow. Ovary 1 - 2 x 1 mm; ovules 4 - 5 per locule; styles 1 - 2 m long; stigma flattened, bifid. Capsules 3 - 4 x 2 - 2.5 mm.

Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Oct.

Distrib. India: W. Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Karnataka.

Tropical Africa, Madagascar and S.E. Asia.