| General Information |
|
| Distribution | A genus of about 10 species from central Europe and the Mediterranean region to central Asia.
|
|
|
|
Habit
|
Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes subshrubs.
|
Leaves
|
Leaves simple, alternate, flat or subterete, margins entire.
|
Flowers
|
Flowers minute, sessile, perfect or sometimes unisexual and pistillate mixed with perfect flowers, solitary or clustered in the leaf axils; calyx globose, 5-lobed, the lobes incurved, each with a dorsal, often red, hooked spine; stamens usually 5; ovary ovoid; stigmas 2-3.
|
Fruit
|
Fruit a utricle enclosed by the coriaceous calyx.
|
Seeds
|
Seed 1, horizontal, orbicular.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
