Deciduous shrubs or small trees; bark dark grey; branchlets with axillary spines; spines mostly single, straight and sharp. Leaves predominantly unifoliolate (sometimes a few 2–3-foliolate), subsessile or petioled, densely glandular punctate. Inflorescence of short axillary panicles. Flowers bisexual. Calyx 3–5-lobed, lobes short. Petals 3–5, oblong to ovate, imbricate in bud, ± 1 cm. long. Stamens 8–12; filaments free and subulate; anthers sagittate. Disk present, annular. Ovary ovoid, 5–8-locular; ovules many and in 2 series per locule; style short; stigma cylindrical to capitate. Fruit large and pepo-like, spherical or pear-shaped, with hard shell and indehiscent, 5–8-locular, each locule many-seeded. Seeds somewhat ellipsoid, compressed; testa coriaceous and glabrous; endosperm lacking.
Home