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Stout shrubs, scandent or arborescent. Stipules minute, glandlike, or wanting, if present inserted on the twig between the petioles. Leaves elliptic to oblong, subcoriaceous, short-stalked, in most cases glabrescent, base generally with 2 glands beneath, margin often with smaller, scattered glands beneath. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, raceme-like, short-haired, scattered along the rhachis. Calyx outside posteriorly provided with one dark-coloured gland often adnate to the pedicel (rarely the gland is wanting, or in extra-Mal. spp. more glands may be present). Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic, light-coloured. Calyx deeply incised. Petals more or less unguiculate, somewhat different in shape, outer one more elliptic, inner (posterior) one more orbicular and often provided with 2 basal outgrowths. Stamens unequal, anterior one being 2-3 times as long as the other 9, of which the posterior is the shortest. Ovary 3-lobed, with the initial wings visible, haired; one style slightly longer than the long stamen, coiled inwards in bud, stigma acute, 2 styles abortive. Samaras consisting of a globular mericarp with 3 laterally developed coriaceous wings, middle one the longest and at right angles to the 2 lateral ones; dorsal wing incidentally developed into a bigger or smaller crest between the lateral 3 wings.
Woody lianas, lianoid shrubs, or small trees. Leaves opposite, leathery or subleathery, entire, sometimes with 2 basal glands on abaxial surface; stipules minute, glandlike, or absent. Racemes axillary or terminal; peduncles bracteate; pedicels articulate, 2-bracteolate at articulation point. Flowers white, sometimes pinkish, fragrant, bisexual, zygomorphic. Calyx with 1 or 2 glands partially adnate to pedicel or eglandular. Sepals 5, imbricate, basally connate. Petals 5, clawed, ± unequal, silky pubescent. Stamens 10, unequal, one much larger than others; filaments connate at base. Ovary shallowly 3-lobed, 3-5 appendages on abaxial surface; style 1, rarely 2, filiform, at first circinate; stigma capitate. Samaras 1-3, each 3-winged; abaxial wing long, erect; lateral wings short, spreading. Seed angular-globose.
