Plants herbs, woody at the base, or subshrubs. Leaves sessile, simple, entire. Inflorescences terminal on the main stem and branches, bracteate clusters of flowers at tips. Sepals unequal, imbricate; corollas salviform, lobes imbricate; stamens exserted; ovaries 2-celled, with 4 ovules; stigmas capitate. Capsules 2-4-valved, usually 1-seeded; seeds glabrous.
Cressa is a genus of 4 species. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the the Old and New World. One species, Cressa cretica, grows in both Somaliland and Somalia.
Daniel F. Austin and Shahina Ghazanfar (1979) Convolvulaceae. 126: 1-64
Plants highly branched, perennial, subshrubby herbs. Leaves small, sessile, entire. Inflorescences bracteate, terminal clusters at branch tips. Flowers subsessile, small; sepals obovate, subequal, imbricate; corollas united, campanulate, with ovate, imbricate, spreading lobes; stamens exserted, filaments filiform; styles exserted, 2, distinct to the base, stigmatic regions large, capitate. Fruits capsules, usually 1-seeded; seeds glabrous, brown.
Cressa is a genus of 5 species that grow in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.
Note: GBIF records include introduced and cultivated plants. Consequently, the distribution shown often differs from statements about a taxon's native distribution.