Shrubs. Stems ascending or spreading. Bark exfoliating in grayish strips or flakes. Branches spreading; twigs with simple trichomes. Leaves deciduous, opposite, sometimes clustered on short shoots; petiole present, relatively short, those of opposite leaves connate-perfoliate; blade elliptic to lanceolate, oblanceolate, obovate, or linear-oblong, ± coriaceous, margins entire, plane or revolute; venation acrodromous, lateral veins sometimes obscure. Inflorescences terminal, compound cymes, (3–)5–26(–34)-flowered; peduncle present. Pedicels present. Flowers bisexual; perianth and androecium perigynous; hypanthium completely adnate to ovary, turbinate-campanulate, not ribbed in fruit; sepals persistent, (4–)5, erect, lanceolate, strigose; petals (4–)5, valvate, spreading, white to yellowish, oblanceolate, base clawed, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes sericeous-pilose abaxially; stamens (8–)10; filaments distinct, dorsiventrally flattened, gradually or abruptly tapered from base to tip, apex not 2-lobed; anthers globose; pistil (2–)3(–5)-carpellate, ovary slightly inferior, (2–)3(–5)-locular; placentation axile; styles persistent, (2–)3(–5), distinct. Capsules lanceoloid, cartilaginous, dehiscence basipetally septicidal to near base of fruit. Seeds 1 per locule, reddish brown, with a white cap, ellipsoid.
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