Fivestamen Burbark

Common in the northern parts of the Punjab and N.W.F.P. According to Parker (l.c.) it occurs west of Indus and is not common. He has perhaps confused this species with Triumfetta rhornboidea Jacq., which also possesses rhomboid, 3-lobed leaves and is rare in our area.

An erect, branched, 25-60 cm tall, annual herb. Stem subscabrous, stellate hairy. Leaves 5-costate, basal rhomboid-ovate, palmately 3-lobed, terminal ones ovate-lanceolate, unlobed, 4.5-9 cm long, 3.5-6 cm broad, sparingly simple hairy above, stellate pubescent below, acuminate-acute, cuneate at the base, unequally coarsely serrate; petiole 1-5 cm long, scabrous, densely hairy; stipules subulate, 5-6 mm long. Cymes antiphyllous, short peduncled, arranged racemosely due to abortion of upper leaves. Flowers yellow, c. 4-5 mm across, almost sessile; bracts linear, c. 2-3 mm long, hairy. Sepals lorate, c. 2.5 mm long, cucullate and awned at the apex, sparsely stellate hairy outside. Petals spathulate, as long as sepals, glabrous at the base, obtuse. Stamens mostly 5, rarely up to 10, filaments hairy outside at the base. Carpels 2; ovary ovoid, 2-loculed, hairy. Capsule ovoid, densely tomentose, 6.5-7 mm long, 4.5-6 mm in diameter including c. 1.5-2 mm long, ascending, uncinate spines with a line of spreading hairs on the upper side.

Distribution: Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Cape Verde Islands, tropical Africa and Formosa.

Fl. Per.: July-October.