Ophiorrhiza Linnaeus (1753: 150)

Hareesh, Vadakkoot Sankaran & Sabu, Mamiyil, 2018, The genus Ophiorrhiza (Rubiaceae) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India with a new species, Phytotaxa 383 (3), pp. 259-272 : 260

Ophiorrhiza Linnaeus (1753: 150)

Evergreen annual or perennial herbs or under-shrubs; stem 5 cm to 3 m tall, erect, decumebent or prostrate, glabrous to puberulent or hirsute. Leaves opposite-decussate, petiolate to seb-sessile, elliptic, elliptic-lanceolate, ovate or orbicular; apex acute, obtuse, acuminate or cordate acuminate; base cuneate or cordate. Stipule prominent, sometimes it felldown when mature, entire or bifid, linear, triangular or broadly ovate. Inflorescence axillary or terminal cymes; bracts and bracteoles are similar either present or absent, subulate, linear-lanceolate, oblong, sometimes falling away before the maturation of the fruit. Flowers pedicillate or sub-sessile, 5-merous. Hypanthium ovoid or obovoid. Calyx lobes triangular to subulate, ovate to lanceolate, acute or obtuse at apex. Corolla infundiuliform, oftern swollen at the base or sometimes constricted at the middle; lobes erect or recurved, some times spurred or winged at dorsal side. Stamens 5, adnated at different positions of the corolla tube, inserted or excerted; filaments short or tall; anthers 2- lobed, linear-oblong, dorsifixed, pale yellow or white. Ovary two-celled with numerous ovules. Style filiform, short or tall; stigma capitate, linear-lanceolate, entire or bifid. Capsule laterally compressed, obcordate, broader than height. Seeds numerous, angular.