Mimusops L.

Trees or shrubs. Stipules caducous. Leaf-lamina frequently elliptic to obovate; upper surface often glossy, lower surface practically glabrous or pubescent in young leaves; midrib raised, primary lateral nerves finely raised on both surfaces, secondary lateral nerves inconspicuous, venation reticulate. Flowers usually in axils of current leaves, pedicellate. Sepals 8, arranged in two dissimilar whorls of 4, ± free or slightly fused at base; inner sepals smaller and paler in colour than outer. Corolla of 8 members, fused into a short basal tube, upper parts further subdivided into three segments giving 24 linear segments per flower. Stamens 8, epipetalous; anther dehiscence extrorse. Staminodes 8, alternating with stamens, usually simple, narrowly lanceolate or ligulate, densely pilose externally and along margins. Ovary usually 8-locular; ovules solitary, anatropous, with basal attachment. Fruit baccate, fleshy to ± coriaceous, 1-several-seeded, calyx persisting at base. Seeds ± ellipsoid, laterally compressed; testa horny and polished; scar ± basal to basi-ventral, usually (probably always in East Africa) small and scarcely longer than broad; abundant endosperm present; cotyledons flattened and foliaceous.