MOLLUGO, AFRICAN CHICKWEED: A genus of the trigynia order, belonging to the triandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 22d order, Garyophyllae. The calyx is pentaphyllous; there is no corolla; the capsule is trilocular, and trivalved. Its characters are these: The empalement of the flower is composed of five oblong small leaves, coloured on their insides, and permanent; the flower has five oval petals shorter than the empalement; and three bristly stamens, which stand near the style, terminated by single summits; it has an oval germin, having three furrows, supporting three very short styles: the germin becomes an oval capsule with three cells, filled with small kidney-shaped seeds. There are several species, few of which are admitted into gardens. Miller reckons two and Linnaeus five species. This plant is said to have an aperitive virtue.