Spinacia tetrandra

Yabani ıspanak

Dioecious annuals, farinose when young. Leaves alternate, flat, sinuate-lobed, the terminal lobe deltoid or ± hastate; on male plants leaves sometimes entire, sometimes toothed. Male inflorescences terminal, cymose-paniculate; female flowers in clusters in the leafaxils. Male flowers green, 4-5-merous; female flowers without a perianth but with 2-4 bracteoles which become enlarged connate and hardened, orbicular-ovate, divergently spine-tipped in fruit. Stigmas 4-5. Seed vertical.

The species occurs in N. Africa and W. & C. Asia.