A prostrate or ascending annual herb up to 50 cm, whitish or grayish-stellate-pubescent, sometimes somewhat scabrid. Petioles 0.5-2 (-4) cm long. Leaf-blades triangular-ovate or ovate, sometimes shallowly trilobite, 1-4 (-5.5) x 0.7-3 (-5) cm, obtuse or rounded at the apex, somewhat obliquely cuneate, rounded or ± truncate at the base, entire or shallowly crenate-sinuate, 3-5-nerved from the base, somewhat plicate-bullate above when young, flattening out later, evenly pubescent above, densely so beneath. Stipules linear, 2 mm long. Inflorescences up to 7 cm though commonly much less, leaf-opposed. Male flowers: pedicels 1 mm long; sepals lanceolate, 3 mm long, stellate-pubescent; petals elliptic-oblong, 3 mm long, lepidote without, pink; disc c. 1 mm diam.; stamens 15, united into a column 4 mm high, anthers (2-) 3-senate, 1 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 5 mm long, extending to up to 2 cm in fruit; sepals linear-lanceolate, 1.5-2 mm long, stellate-pubescent; petals minute or 0; ovary 2 mm diam., densely stellate-pubescent; styles bipartite. Fruit rounded-trilobate, 4 x 7 mm., stellate-pubescent and not lepidote. Seeds ovoid-subglobose, 3 x 2 mm, minutely tuberculate-rugulose, pale grey.

Fl. Per.: February-June (- September); Fr. Per.: May-September.

Holotype: Egypt, El Giza [Gize], June 1762, Forsskal s.n. (C!); Isotype, (C!); IDC Microfiche No. 2200-1/34: III. 2-5!; photos. of holotype & isotype (K!).

Distribution: Throughout the drier parts of Tropical Africa and Asia. In water-logged areas and on riverbanks; 650'/200 m.+.