Shrubs or trees, evergreen, unarmed. Trichomes simple. Leaves alternate, simple. Inflorescences paniculate, terminal or terminal and axillary. Flowers bisexual, 5-merous (rarely occasional flowers 4-merous). Sepals connate at base or to c. 1/3 length, 0.6–1 mm long, persistent in fruit. Petals distinct, valvate, usually hooked adaxially at apex, 1.5–2 mm long, white or cream, glabrous, deciduous in fruit. Stamens as many as petals, distinct, 1–1.5 mm long. Gynoecium subapocarpous, 5-carpelled (rarely in occasional flowers 4-carpelled), 0.8–1 mm long; ovules 2 per locule; style apical, obsolete or up to 0.5 mm long; stigma punctiform or capitate. Fruit of 1–5 basally connate, globose or subglobose follicles 4.5–5 mm diam.; exocarp subfleshy; abortive carpels persistent; ventral endocarp lacking; remaining endocarp cartilaginous, glabrous, adnate. Seeds solitary, globose or sub-globose, persistent in dehisced follicles; with thick sclerotesta, sarcotesta, and shiny black pellicle; endosperm rather scant. Embryo straight; cotyledons somewhat plano-convex, suborbicular or broadly elliptic in outline; hypocotyl terminal, considerably narrower than cotyledons.
Home