Nitraria

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Nitraria (family Zygophyllaceae) A genus of halophytic (see HALOPHYTE) shrubs and herbs in which the leaves are thickened or leathery and usually opposite, with stipules. The flowers are bisexual, regular, and solitary, paired or in cymes. There are 4 or 5 overlapping sepals and a similar number of petals. The stamens are in whorls of 5. The superior ovary usually has 5 fused and winged carpels. The fruit is a capsule, drupe, or berry, and the seeds contain the embryo surrounded by endosperm. Some fruits are edible. There are 7 species, occurring in salt deserts of south-eastern Australia, Siberia, southern Russia, Afghanistan, and the Sahara.

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