Nauclea L.

Trees, unarmed; buds strongly compressed with stipules erect and pressed together [rarely subconical]. Raphides absent. Leaves opposite, usually with domatia; stipules caducous or persistent, interpetiolar, generally elliptic or obovate. Inflorescences terminal and sometimes also axillary, capitate with heads 1-5, globose, and solitary to fasciculate, many flowered, pedunculate, bracteate; peduncles articulate and often bracteate near middle. Flowers sessile, fused by their ovaries, bisexual, monomorphic. Calyx limb 4-or 5-lobed. Corolla white to yellow, funnelform to salverform, inside glabrous; lobes 4 or 5, imbricate in bud. Stamens 4 or 5, inserted in upper part of corolla tube, exserted; filaments short; anthers basifixed. Ovary 2-celled, ovules numerous in each cell, pendulous to horizontal on Y-shaped axile placentas attached to upper third of septum; stigma fusiform, exserted. Infructescences with fruiting heads each comprising a globose multiple fruit (i.e., syncarp). Fruit (i.e., fruitlets, arising from one flower) baccate, fleshy or fibrous, with calyx limb deciduous; seeds numerous, small, ovoid or ellipsoid, sometimes slightly compressed, without aril.