Tetradiclis tenella (Ehrenb.) Litv.

The Plant has the aspect of Heliotropium in inflorescence, but it is glabrous and succulent. Common in damp, salty, arid and semi-arid regions elsewhere but seems to be undercollected and rare in our area.

Glabrous annual, 10-20 cm tall, suberect. Stem verticillately branched from the base. Leaves fleshy, up to 10 mm long, c. 2-3 mm broad, opposite and pinnatisect below, alternate and laciniate above, segments linear-oblong to oblanceolate, obtuse. Flowers c. 1 mm across, white; bracts leafy. Sepals triangular, united almost to half, slightly shorter than petals. Petals wedge-shaped, c. 1 mm long. Stamens antisepalous, inserted on disc. Ovary centrally depressed, locules incompletely trilocellate, with 2-4 ovules in central and one in each of lateral compartments, style quadrangular towards apex. Capsule subglobose, 3-4 mm in diameter, inflated and cross split at the apex, 4-valved, valves minutely pitted, each divided into 3 compartments, the lateral 1-seeded, central 2-4-seeded. Seeds minute, oblong, with scanty endosperm.

Distribution: Pakistan (Baluchistan), Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt and south east Russia.

Fl.Per.: March-April.