Horn Fruited Jute

tridens: 3-toothed

Branched annual herb, up to 60 cm tall, erect when young, older branches spreading. Young branches compressed and angular hairless or sparsely hairy. Leaves oblong to lanceolate, up to 11 cm, hairless or sparsely hairy on the veins; margins crenate-serrate with a long bristle on the 2 lowermost teeth. Flowers in 1-3 flowered leaf-opposed clusters; sepals linear, pointed, as long as the petals. Fruit a more or less erect, cylindric capsule, straight or slightly curved, up to 4 cm long, with a finely rough surface and 3 spreading apical horns.

Widespread in the Old World tropics and subtropics.