Description
Annual, erect, 3–6 cm tall, densely hirsute herb. Root with a tap root
system. Stem branched, hollow, slender, striate; internodes shorter,
nodes prominent. Radical leaves numerous, arising with a sheathy base,
nerves prominent, margin hyaline, ciliate; basal leaves petiolate,
2-ternate, base sheathy, upper surface somewhat glabrous, densely
hirsute underneath, lobes cuneate; cauline leaves shortly petiolate,
similar, rather smaller. Inflorescence axillary, terminal, leaf-opposed,
compound umbel, umbellet 4-6 flowered. Peduncle ribbed, shortly to
densely hirsute. rays unequal, the peripheral longer than the central
ones. Pedicels 2-4 mm long. Involucre of five bracts, base cuneate,
obovate, hirsute all over, green, foliaceous, acuminate, persistent.
Involucel of five bracteoles, oblanceolate or obovate, transparent,
membranous, margins ciliate. Flowers bisexual, pentameous, white tinged
with light purple. Corolla polypetalous, petals five, obovate,
emerginate, subequal, outer petal rotate, ± 1.4 mm long, white tinged
purple, margin slightly irregular, inflexed, acuminate, tip slightly
curved. Stamens five, free, ± 2.3 mm long, glabrous, alternipetalous,
inflexed in buds, longer than the petal, anthers bithecous, yellow,
dehiscence longitudinal. Pollen grains sub-ractangular to ractangular,
rugulate at the equatorial region, exine thicker at the equatorial zone;
Ovary bicarpellary syncarpous, inferior, bilocular, hairy, styles two,
dark purple, persistent, crowning ovary, swollen disc present at the
base of styles forming stylobodium, dark purplish; stigmas two,
capitate. Fruit a schizocarp, ellipsoid or oblong, slightly broader in
the middle, tapering at both ends, mericarps two, laterally compressed,
dorsally constricted at commissures, primary and secondary ridges
slightly winged, variable, primary ridges more prominent, densely hairy
than the secondary ridges.