Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 480 (1753).

Derivation: Greek tetra, four; gonia, angle; alluding to the 4-angled fruit of some species.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Native spinach.

Description:
Herbs or undershrubs, sometimes climbing, sometimes papillose, with alternate thick exstipulate leaves.

Flowers solitary or paired in leaf axils; perianth of 3-5 valvate lobes; stamens 4-25, inserted at the summit of the ovary, free, all fertile; ovary inferior or semi-inferior, 2-8-celled, with 1 pendulous ovule in each cell.

Fruit succulent or not, indehiscent, with a bony endocarp. Together with another African genus, often placed in the Tetragoniaceae.

Distribution:  Perhaps 60 species in Africa, Asia, South America, New Zealand and Australia.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:

1. Peduncle 3-20 mm long; stamens 12-numerous; flowers yellow
2. Fruit dry; flowers 3-5 in each leaf axil	T. decumbens 1.
2. Fruit a berry; flowers solitary in each leaf axil	T. implexicoma 3.
1. Peduncle 0 or flowers subsessile; stamens 8-16; flowers greenish
3. Fruit 4-keeled or 4-winged, often compressed, 3-8 mm diam.	T. eremaea 2.
3. Fruit with 2-6 longitudinal ridges ending in teeth or horns, 8-15 m diam	T. tetragonioides 4.

Author: Not yet available