Ochradenus baccatus Delile

Ochradenus species are annual or perennial herbs, rarely undershrubs. Stem straggling, often much branched, glabrous, branches green when young becoming brown when old, rugose costate. Leaves simple, spiral solitary or fascicled, linear oblong-oblanceolate, margin entire or sometimes slightly dentate near the base, petiole sessile. Inflorescence dense racemes or spike, terminal. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, zygomorphic, perigynous, bracteate, pedicellate, sepals 5-6, ovate, petals usually absent, if present minute, disc unilateral, pale yellow, fleshy. Stamens 10-15, hypogynous, inserted on a discoid, filaments, anthers ellipsoid. Ovary superior, unilocular, sessile, ovoid, closed on top, 3-4 carpelled, beaked, ovules many, placentas 3, style short or absent, stigma capitate. Fruit usually berry or rarely capsule. Seeds few, obovoid or reniform.

Ochradenus species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary or unisexual flowers. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: November-March.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Phanerophyte perennial herbs, about 2-3 m tall. Stem straggling, often much branched, glabrous, branches greenish yellow when young becoming brown and leafless when old, rugose costate. Leaves simple, alternate, linear oblong, about 1-4 cm x 1.5-2 mm across, margin entire, apex acute, glabrous, fleshy, petiole sessile, stipules minute or absent. Inflorescence dense rigid racemes, terminal, about 5-15 cm long, bracts, oblong, apex acute, caducous, about 2.5 mm long. Flowers zygomorphic, perigynous, greenish yellow, pedicels about 1 mm long, slightly longer in fruit. Bisexual flower: sepals 5-6, ovate, about 1 mm long, petals usually absent, or 2-3, subulate, shorter than 1 mm long, disc unilateral, irregularly orbicular, appendage suborbicular. Stamens 10-18, hypogynous, inserted on a discoid, filaments about 1-2 mm long, base fused, anthers ellipsoid. Female flowers: Ovary superior, unilocular, sessile, ovoid, glabrous, staminodes present, closed on top, 3-4 carpelled, beaked, ovules many, placentas 3, style short or absent, stigma capitate. Fruit berry, sessile, globose or ovoid, about 3-5 x 2.5-4 mm across, white, papillose. Seeds few, about 1-1.5 mm across, obovoid or reniform, tuberculate, yellow to brown.

Ochradenus species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Western Indian arid and deserts zones.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in folk medicine, fruits are edible and sweet.