Ammannia 
A. baccifera L. 
Herb to 1 m. Leaves discolorous; blades narrowly 
elliptic to elliptic, 8-110 mm long, 3-38 mm wide, 
L/W 2.9-7.5, attenuate at base. Hypanthium 1-2 mm 
long. Sepals shortly triangular, c. 1 mm long. Petals 
absent. Capsule globose, 1-2 mm diam., exceeding 
hypanthium; locule 1, placentation free central, 
placenta stipitate, globular. Flowering and fruiting: 
throughout year, depending on available moisture. 
Fig. 41 
Widespread through Africa, Europe and Asia to 
northern Australia. Common on the floodplains 
of the DR. Favours clay soils on margins of waterholes 
and creekbanks; often in weed proportions in 
areas disturbed by stock. Also in shaded areas in 
rainforest. 
LYTHRACEAE 133 
A. baccifera 
A. multiflora 
A. multiflora Roxb. 
Herb to 60 cm. Leaves slightly discolorous; blades 
sessile, oblong-linear to narrowly lanceolate 
or oblanceolate, 18-44 mm long, 1.5-9 mm wide, 
L/W 3.7-14, base cordate-auriculate, sometimes 
obscurely so. Hypanthium c. 1 mm long. Sepals 
broadly triangular, c. 0.2 mm long. Petals purple, 
obovate, 0.5-1 mm long. Capsule 1.5-2.5 mm diam.,; 
locules 2, placentation axile, placenta elliptic. 
Flowering and fruiting: throughout year, depending 
on available moisture. Fig. 41 
Widespread from Africa to Australia. Rare in the 
DR from East Point and on the Adelaide R. floodplain. 
The DR specimens show features intermediate with 
the introduced species A. auriculata Willd. 
NESAEA Kunth 
A genus of 50 species native to Africa, Madagascar, India, Australia and America; 5 species in Australia, all 
recorded in the NT but only 1 known from the DR. 
N. striatiflora Hewson 
Annual glabrous erect herb to 25 cm. Stipules 
absent. Leaves opposite, + sessile; blades linear- 
terete, 15-30 mm long. Flowers usually solitary, 
sometimes in dichasia, (4)5(6)-merous; peduncle 
10-15 mm long, ribbed in upper part. Bracteoles to 
2 mm long. Hypanthium campanulate, c. 3 mm 
long, ribbed, ribs maroon, white-membranous 
between, plicate in bud. Calyx appendages blunt. 
Sepals shallowly triangular, to 0.75 mm long. Petals 
mauve, ovate, to 4 mm long. Stamens 4, rarely 8; 
anthers exserted. Capsule globose, to 4 mm diam., 
dehiscence irregular. Flowering and fruiting: Mar - 
Apr. Fig. 41 
Found in the Kimberley and northern NT in swampy 
or black soil habitats. In the DR only known from 1 
record on the Adelaide R. floodplain. Description 
taken from Hewson & Beesley (1990). 
PEMPHIS Forster & G.Forster 
A genus of 2 species; 1 restricted to Madagascar, the other found from the tropical coasts of eastern Africa 
to the Pacific Islands and northern Australia. 
P. acidula Forster & G.Forster 
Evergreen shrub or small tree to 5 m. Stems and 
leaves thinly sericeous. Stipules minute. Leaves 
subsessile, decussate, sometimes + succulent; blades 
elliptic or oblanceolate, 10-23 mm long, 3-8 mm wide, 
L/W 2.1-3.3. Flowers solitary, axillary, 6-merous. 
Pedicel 5-13 mm long. Hypanthium tubular, 3-5 mm 
long, striate. Sepals triangular, 0.5-1 mm long; 
appendages triangular, c. 0.5 mm long, external to 
sinus of sepals. Petals white, sometimes tinged with 
pink, orbicular to obovate, 4-5 mm long. Stamens 12, 
in 2 series. Ovary 3-locular below, 1-locular above, 
