Scoparia

Annual herbs, or rarely small, woody, perennial subshrubs ( S. dulcis), erect, fairly robust, much-branched, glabrous or minutely pubescent, especially at nodes; stems slightly angular or ribbed because of decurrent leaf bases. Leaves commonly ternate, whorled or opposite, narrowed to petiole-like base, narrowly oblanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, entire or dentate in upper half, usually narrow, punctate, veins prominent below. Flowers small, usually solitary or more rarely paired in axils of leaf-like bracts, sometimes forming branched, many-flowered, raceme-like inflorescences, pedicellate, ebracteolate. Calyx deeply 4(5)-lobed; lobes equal or subequal, ovate or oblong, obtuse, imbricate, densely sessile-glandular. Corolla regular, rotate, 4(5)-lobed, corolla tube very short, not exceeding calyx tube, throat bearded; lobes obtuse, subequal, bearded in lower part, upper lobes probably outside in bud. Stamens 4, subequal, exserted; filaments filiform; anthers subsagittate with 2 divergent or parallel thecae. Ovary bilocular, ovoid; ovules many; style subclavate at apex, persistent; stigma truncate or emarginate. Fruit a globose or ovoid, septicidal capsule, when partly opened forming a +/- round pore at apex; valves +/- entire, membranous. Seeds many, obovoid, angular, minutely pitted. x = 10 (polyploidy).