Citation: Hook. f., Benth. &. Hook.f., Gen. Pl. 3:65 (1880).

Derivation: Latin tectum, roof, referring to the bracts; and cornu, horn, alluding to relationship to Salicornia.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Samphires.

Description:
Glabrous annual or short-lived perennials, appearing leafless; branches of cylindrical to obovoid segments (internodes); segments succulent, very shortly bilobed at the apex, the lobes representing the reduced opposite leaves.

Inflorescence a terminal or lateral spike-like thyrse consisting of 3-5 flowers in the axils of opposite free, or almost free, bracts; flowers bisexual, vertical to the spike axis and concealed within the bracts; perianth succulent, of 2 laterally placed plano-convex segments; stamen 1, abaxial; ovary thin-walled; style slender, 2-lobed.

Fruiting perianth: segments free, areolate and hyaline when dry; pericarp membranous; seed bluntly ellipsoidal to lenticular; testa coriaceous; embryo curved on the adaxial side of the seed; perisperm abundant.

Distribution:  3 Australian species one of which is also found in Malesia. Usually found in tropical coastal saltmarshes and freshwater claypans. (P. G. Wilson (1972) Nuytsia 1:277-288.)

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available