4372.000 Leidesia Müll. Arg.

Delicate monoecious annual herbs, stipulate. Indumentum simple. Leaves alternate, occasionally subopposite, petiolate, crenate-dentate, palminerved. Inflorescences terminal, racemose, bisexual, mostly male with a basal female flower, sometimes consisting of a solitary bracteate female flower; male bracts several-flowered; female bracts resembling reduced foliage leaves. Male flowers pedicellate; calyx closed in bud, later splitting into 3 valvate lobes; petals absent; disk absent. Female flowers shortly pedicellate; calyx absent, or with 1 bract-like lobe; petals absent; disk absent; ovary 2-locular, with 1 ovule per loculus. Fruits 2-lobed or 1-coccous by abortion, dehiscing septicidally into 2 bivalved cocci, or into 2 valves; endocarp thinly crustaceous. Seeds ovoid-subglobose; testa crustaceous; endosperm fleshy; cotyledons broad and flat.

Worldwide: One species in Africa.

Mozambique: 1 taxon.