Lianas, only exceptionally (in arid countries) erect. Glands on twig-nodes small. Leaves (l-)2-4(-7)-jugate; leaflets with microscopical glands and not rarely with few to many larger crateriform scattered glands underneath; petiole in some species with some ventral large glands near the base. Thyrses terminal, sometimes additional partial axillary thyrses in the upper leaf-axils; peduncle without sterile bracts at the base; depauperate thyrses may appear occasionally as racemes. Calyx closed in bud, small (less than 7 mm), cup-shaped to campanulate, stunted or very shallowly lobed, sometimes tearing. Corolla generally small, the tube cylindric or infundibuliform, incl. lobes at most 5 cm long, limb usually zygomor-phous, the lobes small or large, in bud widely imbricating; throat and ventral side of the tube mostly long-hairy and often with a hair-ring near the insertion of the anthers. Stamens didynamous, almost always inserted; anther-cells divaricate, c. 1½-2 mm long; 5th rudimentary. Disk annular or ± pulvinous. Ovary elongate, each cell with 2 placentas and many ovules. Capsule stipitate, ± beaked, rather thick, terete or ± flattened; valves widely boat-shaped, firmly coriaceous; dissepiment flat, oblong, thickish, with marginal seed-scars. Seeds many, roundish, thin-winged.
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