Glinus

Herbs, annual, stellate, pubescent. Stems prostrate to ascending, branching from base. Leaves alternate or whorled; stipules absent. Inflorescences axillary, cymose; cymes dense, reduced. Flowers sessile or short pedicellate; sepals persistent, 5, basally connate, abaxially stellate-pubescent; petals absent (or 5-20); stamens (3-)5(-20), alternate with sepals, distinct or fascicled; pistils 3-5-locular; ovules 10-25 per locule; styles 1(-5), terminal, erect, or stigmas sessile. Fruits capsular, 3-5-valved. Seeds: somewhat flattened laterally, asymmetrically reniform, smooth to tuberculate, funiculus develops into a long, slender strophiole. x = 9.

Several species of Glinus have medicinal value. Glinus oppositifolius has been used as a vegetable in Africa, India, and the Philippines, and to treat diarrhea, boils, bilious attacks, headache, and joint pain (H. M. Burkill 1985; K. R. Kirtikar and B. D. Basu 1935; A. K. Tripathi 1988). K. M. Alikutty and N. M. Aleyas (1978) presented evidence that G. oppositifolius is toxic to cattle, when fed in large quantities.

PLANTS: Annual herbs with stellate hairs. STEMS: several from base, prostrate to ascending. LEAVES: alternate to whorled, unequal, petiolate, exstipulate, the margins entire or toothed, the blade spatulate, elliptic or obovate to orbicular, the base cuneate. FLOWERS: several to many, sessile or short-pedicellate; sepals 5, scarious margined, the green midrib extending to the apex; stamens 3-5(-20), fascicled when numerous; pistil 3(-5) -carpellate, the stigmas sessile or subsessile. FRUITS: capsules, in ours slightly shorter than the sepals. SEEDS: numerous, reniform, the funiculus persistent, the aril conspicuous, white, with a filiform appendage coiled around the seed. X = 9. NOTES: 13 spp.; pantropical, and weeds of temperate areas. (Greek: glinos = sweet REFERENCES: Christy, Charlotte M. 1998. Molluginaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. 30(2): 112..