SAOOD OMER

Dichotomously branched, annual, 2-10 cm high, delicate herb. Stem branched from base or above, lineolate. Leaves 2-8 x 1.5-6 mm, oblanceolate-lanceolate or elliptic, acute, entire. Flowers solitary, terminal on 2-4 mm long pedicel, tetramerous. Calyx 1.5-3(-4) mm long, tube smaller than lobes; lobes 1-25 x 1.0-15 mm, lanceolate-oblanceolate, acute-acuminate, entire. Corolla tubular, smaller than calyx, 1-1.5 mm long; lobes 0.75-1.5 x 0.5-1.0 mm, ovate, entire, acute. Stamens 4, 3 sterile, 1 fertile; fertile larger than sterile. Ovary globose, 1.75-2.25 x 15-2.0 mm, capsule many seeded, seeds reticulate.

Type: Malabar, Tranguebar, Rottler s.n. (B).

Distribution: India, Pakistan (?), Burma, Sri Lanka, Malaysia.

A small and delicate annual herb, which grows by water stream. Often confused with Lomatogonium brachyantherum (Clarke) Fernald, from which it differs on the presence of short and sterile stamens.

Stewart (l.c.) has included this species only on the assumption that it occurs in E. Punjab and could make its appearance in W. Punjab as well. I have not come across any specimen of this species from our area. Garg (l.c.) has included it from N.W. Himalaya, but has cited specimens from Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh and none from Himalayas.