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Shrubs to trees with simple, alternate, opposite or whorled leaves having small usually deciduous stipules. Flowers solitary in axils of ordinary leaves or racemose or paniculate, generally showy, pendulous and long-pedicelled, sometimes erect; mostly perfect, sometimes imperfect. Floral tube prolonged beyond the ovary, usually colored, deciduous in fruit. Sepals 4, usually colored, deciduous after anthesis. Petals 4, or minute or none, convolute or spreading, deciduous after anthesis. Stamens 8, usually unequal, the episepalous exceding the epipetalous; filaments more or less filiform; anthers linear to oblong. Ovary 4-loculed; style elongate; stigma capitate or clavate, subentire to 4-lobed. Fruit a berry.
Shrubs or occasionally trees or lianes. Leaves alternate, opposite or whorled, with small, usually deciduous, stipules. Inflorescence racemose, paniculate or flowers solitary, axillary. Flowers usually conspicuous, usually actinomorphic, often pendulous. Hypanthium usually much prolonged. Sepals 4, deciduous. Petals 4. Stamens 8. Ovary 4-locular. Fruit a berry with few to very numerous seeds.
