Lacunaria Ducke

Small glabrate trees or shrubs, sometimes clambering; phloem with copious mucilage. Leaves opposite or verticillate entire, toothed or lobed, sometimes the juveniles with lobed leaves and mature plants with entire or toothed leaves, gla-brate with a characteristic satiny sheen; stipules prominent but sometimes early deciduous. Inflorescences with flowers perfect or unisexual, short terminal aments or in axillary clusters; flowers bracteate. Flowers small, sepals 4-5, per-sistent; petals 4-8, free; stamens numerous, free or the filaments basally united, the anther thecas separated by a broad connective; carpels 2-13, each locule with 2 axile ovules. Fruit baccate, tardily separating into valves, through abortion