Blitum

Annual or perennial herbs, glabrous or covered with bladder hairs (scattered glandular hairs may be present). Leaves long-petiolate with triangular, hastate or rhombic blades; basal leaves often in a rosette. Inflorescences leafy or aphyllous in the upper part. Flowers in dense glomerules, bisexual or sometimes unisexual. Perianth of 1–5 free or insignificantly concrescent segments or perianth reduced, green, but sometimes fleshy and red or indurated in the fruiting stage. Stamens 1–5, usually equalling the perianth segments. Stigmas 2–3. Fruits with 1–2(3)-layered, smooth or mamillate pericarp, usually tightly adjoining the seed coat. Seed round or ovoid, red or reddish-black, without keel or with 2 blunt keels. Seed surface smooth or alveolate; testa cells without stalactites, sometimes with hair-like outgrowths. Seed embryo horizontally or vertically orientated or sometimes both embryo positions present on an individual (spatial heterospermy). Approximately 14 species worldwide.