Berlinia Sol. ex Hook.F.

Unarmed trees. Leaves paripinnate; stipules intrapetiolar, connate into a scale (at least on mature shoots); leaflets opposite or subopposite, in (1–)2–5 pairs, petiolulate, equal or ± unequal-sided at base, with or without translucent dots. Flowers in racemes or panicles of racemes; bracteoles 2, well-developed, valvate, completely enclosing the flower-buds, persistent. Hypanthium tubular, 7–20 mm. long. Sepals 5, subequal. Petals 5; either the upper one relatively very large and long-clawed with the four other petals much reduced, or (not in the Flora area) all 5 large and subequal. Stamens 10; filaments exserted, 9 of them shortly connate at base, the other one free. Ovary shortly stipitate, inserted on the tube of the hypanthium; ovules 2–8. Pod dehiscing elastically into 2 flattened woody valves which are obliquely transversely nerved when mature; upper suture narrowly winged on each side (see fig. 29/7). Seeds compressed, ± obovate-elliptic to elliptic or quadrate, with thin testa and short funicle.