Herbs, annual or perennial, unarmed. Stems erect to prostrate or sprawling, usually uncinulate-pubescent. Leaves alternate, usually unifoliolate, rarely odd-pinnate; stipules present, persistent, striate, narrowly ovate, acuminate; petiolate, petiole channeled, minutely winged; leaflet(s) usually 1, rarely 3, stipels 2, minute, blade margins entire, surfaces usually pubescent, at least abaxial. Inflorescences 6–30+-flowered, usually leaf-opposed or terminal, sometimes axillary, usually racemes, sometimes panicles; bracts present often conspicuous, striate, secondary bracts present; bracteoles absent. Flowers papilionaceous; calyx campanulate, sepals connate only near base, lobes 5, striate, subequal, adaxial 2 often connate nearly to apex; corolla red to reddish blue, reddish violet, orange, orange-buff, pink, pinkish lavender, or white; stamens 10, diadelphous; anthers basifixed; ovary sessile or shortly stipitate, style incurved at apex, glabrous, stigma terminal, slightly capitate. Fruits loments, sessile, distal segment often abortive and stipelike, turgid or laterally compressed, straight or constricted, ovoid or oblong to linear, indehiscent, reticulate, sometimes also rugose, glabrescent or uncinate-puberulent; segments 2–8. Seeds 2–8, oblong or 4-sided; scarcely rim-arillate. x = (7), 8, [11].

Distribution

Introduced; Asia, Africa, introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Pacific Islands, Australia.

Discussion

Species ca. 30 (3 in the flora).

Alysicarpus glumaceus (Vahl) de Candolle was collected in 1958 as a waif on chrome ore piles in Maryland by C. F. Reed (41715, MO).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Alysicarpus ovalifolius, Alysicarpus rugosus, Alysicarpus vaginalis

Key

1	Loments constricted between segments, enclosed in calyx, lateral surfaces reticulate and cross-rugose, distinctly sculpted; calyx lobes imbricate at base.	Alysicarpus rugosus
1	Loments straight, not constricted between segments, distinctly exserted from calyx, lateral surfaces reticulate, obscurely sculpted; calyx lobes valvate at base.	> 2
2	Loments ridged, without internal cross partition between segments, sometimes with partitions distally; inflorescences laxly flowered; infructescences lax, internodes longer than 1/2 loment length; plants annual; stems much branched, erect or ascending.	Alysicarpus ovalifolius
2	Loments furrowed, with internal cross partition between segments; inflorescences densely flowered; infructescences much crowded, internodes much shorter than loments; plants perennial; stems diffuse, ascending or sprawling.	Alysicarpus vaginalis