7. Stipulicida Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 26, plate 6. 1803.
[Latin stipula, diminutive of stipes, stalk, and -cida, cut, alluding to the incised stipules)
Ann Swanson, Richard K. Rabeler
Herbs, annual (or short-lived perennial?). Taproots filiform to stout. Stems diffuse to erect, repeatedly dichotomous, terete. Leaves opposite (cauline) or rosulate (basal), connate (distally) or not (proximally), petiolate (basal) or sessile (cauline); stipules 2 per node (cauline leaves) or forming tuft of to 14+ per node (basal leaves), white to tan, filiform, forming incised or notched nodal fringe; blade 1-veined, spatulate to suborbiculate (basal) or scalelike, subulate to triangular (cauline), not succulent, apex obtuse. Inflorescences terminal, compact, few-flowered cymes; bracts paired, scalelike. Pedicels erect. Flowers: perianth and androecium hypogynous; sepals distinct, reddish brown, elliptic to obovate, 0.8-2 mm, scarious, margins scarious, apex acute to obtuse or mucronate; petals 5, white, blade apex entire to erose; nectaries as minute, rounded lobes flanking filament bases; stamens 3-5; filaments distinct; styles 3, distinct or nearly so, capitate, ca. 0.2 mm, glabrous proximally; stigmas 3, terminal, obscurely papillate (30×). Capsules ellipsoid to globose, opening by 3 recurved valves; carpophore absent. Seeds ca. 20, golden chestnut to reddish brown, ± triangular, laterally compressed, lustrous, reticulate, marginal wing absent, appendage absent.
Species 1: se United States, West Indies (Cuba).
