Polycarpaea corymbosa
(L.) Lam., Tabl. Encycl. 2: 129. 1797; Edgew. & Hook.
f. in Fl. Brit. India 1: 245. 1874. Achyranthes corymbosa L., Sp. Pl. 205. 1753.
Hindi : Dolphuli, Machechi.
Herbs, annual or perennial decumbent erect or suberect, densely tomentose to glabrescent, with a woody rootstock. Leaves pseudoverticillate, linear to linear-subulate, linear-oblong or linear-lanceolate, rounded to obtuse at base, entire, apiculate at apex, 5 - 20 x 1 - 3 mm, aristate with ca 1 mm long bristles, 1-nerved; stipules lanceolate, linear or subulate, 1 - 5 mm long, fimbriate or not, scarious. Cymes dichasial, crowded and arranged in corymbs; pedicels 2 - 5 mm long, puberulent; bracts shorter than pedicels. Sepals 5, lanceolate, acuminate at apex, 1.5 - 5 mm long, scarious-margined, glabrous, pinkish to brown. Petals 5, ovate or linear-oblong, slightly emarginate, obtuse at apex, 0.5 - 1.2 mm long, membranous, persistent, reddish. Stamens 5; filaments 0.5 - 1 mm long, flat; anthers oblong, ca 0.3 mm long. Ovary ovoid, ca 0.4 mm long, 5 - 13-ovuled; style ca 0.2 mm long. Capsules ovoid or ellipsoid, 1 - 2.5 mm long, 3-valved, entire, brown, shiny; seeds reniform, light brown, minutely corrugated.
KEY TO THE VARIETIES
1a. Stipules linear, less than 1.25 mm long, not fimbriate
