Shrubs or trees, deciduous, the hairs chiefly stellate. Leaves alternate, simple, petiolate, stipulate, the stipules deciduous, the blade often somewhat asymmetrical, dentate to serrate, 3-to 7-nerved at the base. Inflorescences axillary, cymose, pe-dunculate. Flowers hermaphrodite, pedicellate, bracteolate; calyx divided into 2 to 5 lobes at the anthesis, the lobes reflexed and pubescent outside, deciduous; petals 5, valvate, cucullate, unguiculate, the apex involute and provided with a long, deeply bifid, liguliform appendage; stamens 15, the staminal tube divided into 5 alternipetalous, triangular staminodes and 5 oppositipetalous groups of 3 filaments, the filaments short, geniculate at the apex, 1 free and 2 connate; anthers 2-thecate, the thecae divergent, extrorse, longitudinally dehiscent; ovary sessile or stipitate, ellipsoid to globose, with 5 minute geniculate lobes at the apex, 5-celled, the cells many-ovulate, the ovules biseriate; style filiform; stigma 1-to 5-parted, the lobes usually connivent. Capsules ligneous, muricate or bearing filiform ap-pendages, indehiscent or imperfectly 5-valvate; seeds small, albuminous; embryo erect; cotyledons foliaceous, folded.
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