Phthirusa podoptera
Content
Description
Leafy plants, sparsely branched with long, slender, slightly compressed shoots soon becoming terete. Leaves thin, ovate, to 9 x 4 cm, apex acute, base of blade obtuse; venation pinnate. Inflorescence to 9 cm long, with 5-8 pairs of triads; inflorescence peduncle to 2.5 cm long, with 2 thin wings together 0.3-0.4 cm wide; all flowers sessile directly on inflorescence axis; small, acute, persistent bracts and bracteoles. Flowers bisexual. Petals and stamens strongly dimorphic, lower series of anthers 4-loculate, upper series 2-loculate, filament deeply excavated; style straight, somewhat clavate. Fruit obovoid-ellipsoid, 0.7 x 0.4 cm, yellow.