in botany; a genus of plants belonging to the class of polygamia and order of monacia. The hermaphrodite flowers have a calyx with bivalved biflorous glumes, the valvellets being parallel to the rachis; the corolla is bivalved and awnless; there are three stamens and two styles. In the male flowers the calyx is common with the hermaphrodite; the corolla and stamens are similar. There is only one species, the squarrosus.