Citation: J. Black, Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 55:141 (1931).

Derivation: Greek embadion, a little slipper, to which the mericarps bear some resemblance.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Annuals usually with several branches from the base, more or less covered with hairs of equal length; leaves constantly alternate, with few clustered into a basal rosette, subpetiolate and without a sheath, becoming widely spaced to sessile on the stems.

Inflorescence terminal with rarely more than 1 erect scorpioid cyme, with pedicellate to subsessile flowers more or less widely spaced, with leaf-like bracts; sepals scarcely connate basally, scarcely elongating after flowering; corolla regular, cylindrical, glabrous except for papillose protrusions in the throat; stamens inserted just below the throat of the corolla tube, with anthers subsessile and with a mucro-like appendage; ovary 4-lobed, pyramidal, with a style inserted near the middle, short and with an included terminal capitate stigma.

Fruit with 4 hard mericarps splitting off the acute gynobase; mericarps ovoid, surrounded by a spongy rim and often with a spongy crest in the middle, each with more or less developed hooked spines; scar of attachment ovate to elliptic, central to usually in the lower third.

Distribution:  3 species endemic to the western central region of S.Aust.

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: Plants of Embadium are superficially similar to those of Omphalolappula concava but are distinguished by the short attachment to the gynobase on the lower third of the mericarp (as opposed to an attachment from the lower third to the apex in O. concava), by the usually swollen rim around the outer surface of the mericarp (rim membranous in O. concava) and all the leaves except for the cotyledons alternate (lower leaves opposite in O. concava). The fruits of some forms of Cynoglossum australe are very similar to those of E. uncinatum and even the flat-topped ovary of Cynoglossum often approaches the more pyramidal shape of Embadium species. However, all species of Embadium have leaf-like bracts subtending the flowers which are absent in Cynoglossum australe. Key adapted from Ising (1965) Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 89:286.

Key to Species:

1. Mericarps without a raised vertical crest (rarely slightly ridged) in the centre of the outside surface	E. johnstonii 1.
1. Mericarps with a raised vertical crest in the centre of the outside surface
2. Mericarps covered with fine hooked hairs on the inside, without spines on the marginal rim, or if rudimentary ones present then margins incurved	E. stagnense 2.
2. Mericarps glabrous, with prominent spines on the marginal rim, with scarcely incurved margins	E. uncinatum 3.

Author: Not yet available