Maerua Forssk.

Shrubs, sometimes dwarf, scramblers or more rarely small trees. Leaves alternate or clustered on abbreviated lateral shoots, sessile or petiolate, simple or 1–3-foliolate; petiolules if present very short. Stipules subulate, woody or herbaceous, persistent or evanescent, not spiny. Inflorescence a terminal or lateral often corymbose raceme, a short terminal panicle or the flowers 1–4 in the axils of the upper leaves. Sepals 3 or 4; receptacle narrowly cylindrical to shortly campanulate, the inner margin often produced into a disk with a free apical rim, sometimes very short and entire, sometimes as much as 2 mm. long and laciniate. Petals (3–)4 or 0, subequal. Androphore subequal to or exceeding the receptacle, without an appendage; stamens free, few to very many. Gynophore present, long; ovary spheroid to narrowly cylindrical, 1–2-locular; ovules 4 to many; stigma capitate, but of very variable shape and often rather flattened. Fruits spheroid, ovoid, ellipsoid or cylindrical, sometimes up to about 20 cm. long, torulose or not, glabrous to densely pubescent.