M. Thulin (1993) Vahliaceae. Flora of Somalia 1: 340-341.
Plants annual or perennial herbs; stems 11-50 cm long, glabrous or hairy. Leaves ovate-lanceolate to ovate, 0.4-3.1 cm long, 0.25-1.4 cm wide, glabrous to somewhat sparsely hairy. Flowers subsessile; calyx tube (hypanthium) 1-6-2.5 mm long, glabrous or hairy; sepals free, 3.8-7.2 mm long; petals yellow, 4-7.1 mm long; filaments hairy, with a conspicous appendage at their bases; anthers 1.3-2.8 mm long; styles 4.1-7.6 mm long, sparsely hairy. Capsules 2.5-3.6 mm long; seeds with indistinct ridges or reticulations.
There is one subspecies of Vahlia somalensis in Somaliland and two in Somalia. The differ as shown below: