Polycarpon L.

Herbs, annual or perennial, small, diffuse, prostrate or suberect, dichotomously much branched. Leaves opposite but appearing whorled due to presence of axillary fascicles of leaves, obovate to orbicular; stipules conspicuous, scarious. Inflorescence a terminal dichasial branched compound condensed cyme. Flowers many, sessile of pedicellate, bisexual, hypogynous; bracts conspicuous, similar to stipules, scarious. Sepals 5, keeled and hooded, green, scarious-margined. Petals 5, narrow, entire or emarginate, shorter than sepals, hyaline, white. Stamens 1 - 5; filaments more or less united at base. Ovary 1-locular, many-ovuled; style short, 3-fid up to middle; stigmas 3. Capsules 3-valved; valves twisting spirally into tubes; seeds ovoid, several.

Cosmopolitan; ca 16 species, 2 species in India.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Perennials; flowers subsessile

1. Polycarpon prostratum

b. Annuals; flowers pedicellate; pedicels longer than flowers in older flowers

2. Polycarpon tetraphyllum

List of Lower Taxa