Trees and shrubs, unarmed; branches erect or subscandent, terete or compressed, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves opposite or in whorls of 4, to irregularly or rarely alternate, sometimes fasciculate; petiolate; blades entire, coriaceous or membranous, glabrous or pubescent. Inflorescences sometimes cauliflorous, axillary or terminal, erect or pendent, pedunculate, dichotomously branched cyme, corymbiform cymes, panicles or thyrses, or flowers sometimes solitary. Flowers unisexual (sometimes bisexual in N. floribunda), dioecious, small; sessile or pedicellate, often minutely 1-3-5-bracteolate at base; female flower buds long-acuminate at apex. Male perianth urceolate, globose or elongate, shortly 4-to 5-dentate, teeth induplicate-valvate; stamens 5-10, included, anthers oblong. Female perianth urceolate or tubular-urceolate, constricted above ovary, 4-5-dentate, often contracted at mouth; staminodes often longer than ovary, with distinct, sterile anthers; ovary narrowly ovoid, sessile, included in fleshy base of perianth, style terminal, filiform, stigma exserted, fimbriate. Anthocarps ellipsoid, eglandular, usually crowned by persistent free portion of perianth, often indurate, smooth, striate or costate; seed with hyaline testa adherent to pericarp, embryo straight, cotyledons broad, endosperm scanty, fleshy, radicle short, inferior, horizontal.
More
Dioecious trees and shrubs. Leaves opposite to irregularly approximate. In-florescences terminal, thyrsiformn. Flowers small, immediately subtended by 1-3 minute bracteoles. Staminate flowers urceolate; stamens 5-10, usually 8, unequal, included, the short tube of the filaments surrounding the sessile pistillode. Pistillate flowers urceolate or tubular-urceolate, the limb of the perianth erect or spreading, the staminodes usually somewhat surpassing the ovary and with enlarged sterile anthers, the pistil sessile. Anthocarps fleshy, eglandular, the limb of the perianth withering and at length abscissing.
Home
