Caldesia oligococca (F. Muell.) Buchenau

Glabrous herbs, perennating by fibrous-rooted radix. Leaves ovate, 6-15 cm long, 4-7 cm broad, 9-17 nerved, cordate, lobes and lamina obtuse, translucent-punctate; petiole 30-90 cm long, sulcate. Inflorescence a scapose angular panicle, longer than the petiole. Flowers white, c. 1 cm across; pedicels 1-3.5 cm long; bracts basally connate, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acute-acuminate, upwardly decreasing in size, translucent punctate. Sepals elliptic-ovate, 1.5-4 mm long, 1-2.5 mm broad, membranous margined, reflexed and revolute in fruit. Petals elliptic-ovate, longer than the sepals, acute. Stamens with c. 2 mm long persistent filaments. Ovaries with ventral style and punctate stigma. Achenes reniform, 2-5 mm long, dorsally 4-ridged, ridges beset with densely blunt spiny outgrowths. Seeds, reddish-brown.

Distribution: West Tropical Africa, Pakistan, Bangla Desh, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), India, Indo-China, Java, Lesser Sunda Isles and Australia.

Fl.Per.: March June.