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Lianas, scandent or sometimes erect shrubs, rarely small trees. Twigs usually terete and greyish. Leaves decussate, sometimes subopposite, rarely spiral. Flowers axillary, fascicled, or in cymes, thyrsiform or paniculiform. Calyx deeply 5-lobed, or in some species slightly irregularly 3-5-lobed in the apical part and then circumscissile at the base or lengthwise splitting, or not lobed. Petals (4-)5(-7), sometimes the innermost 1 or 2 slightly irregularly cleft or lobed in the upper half. Disk intrastaminal, fleshy, annular-pulvinate, sometimes truncate-conical or flattened, rarely cupular. Stamens 3 or (in S. erythrocarpa and S. forsteniana) 2, inserted at the base of the free part of the pistil, usually reflexed at anthesis; filaments subulate, usually broadened towards the base; anthers transversely oblong or ellipsoid, or ± reniform, sometimes ovoid, transversely or rarely lengthwise to obliquely extrorse, or apical-dehiscent. Ovary partly or completely immersed in the disk, the free part conical or triangular, 3-or (in S. erythrocarpa and S. for steniana) 2-celled, gradually narrowed into a distinct or obscure style; stigma obscure. Ovules 2-8 in each cell, axile. Fruit drupaceous, subglobose, 1-3-celled; pericarp coriaceous when dry. Seeds 1 to several, embedded in mucilaginous pulp; cotyledons massive, free or united.
Lianes, shrubs or small trees. Latex absent or present. Stipules small, deciduous, free. Leaves opposite, subopposite or sometimes alternate, petiolate; blade entire or toothed. Inflorescence 1–many-flowered, sessile or pedunculate, axillary or caulinary, sometimes cymose, dichasial or umbelliform, simple without accessory branches; bracts persistent. Flowers moderately sized to large, ± (2–)4–20 mm. in diameter, pedicellate; buds globose or ovoid to subconical, sepals (4–)5(–6), imbricate, free or somewhat united. Petals (4–)5(–6), imbricate in bud. Disc always developed, extrastaminal, variously shaped, entire or lobed. Stamens (2–)3; filaments often becoming reflexed or revolute; anthers uni-or bithecate with extrorse or nearly apical dehiscence (the line of dehiscence is sometimes apical at the bud stage); pollen simple, tricolporate. Ovary superior, sessile, often immersed in the disc, usually with a small androgynophore united with the disc; locules (2–)3, each with 2–9 axile ovules in 1–2 rows; stigma entire or 3-lobed. Fruit a globose or elongated berry with 1–many seeds; exocarp supple or tough; mesocarp soft, fleshy; endocarp mucilaginous. Seed-integument thin; cotyledons free or fused.
Lianas, shrubs or trees; branches often at right angles with the stem, nodes swollen or flattened. Leaves opposite (in S. pachyphylla sometimes somewhat alternate). Inflorescences paniculate, (pseudo-)dichotomously branched or fasciculate; bracts small; pedicels sometimes articulate. Flowers small to large (to 30 mm diam.); sepals 5, often unequal; petals 5, fleshy, oblong, or thin, circular and flabellately veined; disk fleshy, a thick ring adhering to the ovary, annular-pulvinate, or truncate, with or without flattened base that covers the petal bases (in S. amplectens the disk has a conical upper part and a thin upturned basal ring); stamens 3, suberect or reflexed, filaments ligulate, slightly widened towards base, anthers dehiscing by extrorse or apical, transverse or oblique, confluent clefts; ovary depressed-conical, often subtrigonous, generally deeply immersed in the disk and adnate to it, 3-locular, ovules 2-8 per locule, collateral or superposed, style short, subulate, stigmas obscure, occasionally forming a minute, stigmatic shield. Fruits drupaceous, often on thickened pedicels, pericarp smooth, wrinkled or tuberculate; seeds embedded in mucilaginous pulp.
Lianes, scandent (rarely erect) shrubs, or trees. Leaves opposite or subopposite, decussate; stipules very small, deltoid in Australian species. Flowers in axillary cymes or fascicles. Calyx 5-lobed, irregularly 3-5-lobed or calyptriform and circumscissile or splitting lengthwise. Petals 4-7, usually 5. Disc extrastaminal, often thick and fleshy, annular, truncate-conical, sometimes flattened or (not in Australia) cupular. Stamens 2 or 3, reflexed at anthesis. Ovary partly or (not in Australia) completely immersed in disc, 2-or 3-locular, with 2 (up to 8, outside Australia) ovules per locule; style not distinct from conical apex of ovary; stigma obscure. Fruit drupaceous, coriaceous when dry. Seeds (pyrenes) 1 to several inside a hard endocarp, embedded in mucilaginous, pulpy mesocarp; cotyledons large, free or united.
Climbing or scrambling shrubs or small trees, glabrous or glabrescent; branchlets subterete, internode usually dilated or slightly flat. Leaves opposite to subopposite, rarely alternate, entire, crenate, or serrate, estipulate. Inflorescences axillary or cauliflorous, thyrsoid, cymose, or fasciculate. Flowers bisexual, 5-merous. Disk fleshy, pulvinate or cupular, entire or lobed, extrastaminal. Stamens (2 or)3; anthers longitudinally, obliquely, or transversely dehiscent, extrorse or apical. Ovary (2 or)3-locular, whole or mostly concealed in disk; ovules axile, 2-9 per locule. Berry spheroid, fleshy or subligneous. Seeds 2-12, angular, exalbuminous, surrounded by mucilaginous arils.
Stamens (2)3(4), with filaments often ± broadened below, free or united with the ovary or gynophore, becoming reflexed; anthers versatile, extrorse or apical, with thecae vertical to oblique or transverse, free or ± confluent; pollen simple.
Fruit drupaceous, globose or ± elongated, with coriaceous exocarp and mucilaginous pulp (mesocarp), (2)3-locular, soon becoming 1-locular by evanescence of dissepiments, 1-c. 20-seeded.
Ovary superior, (2)3-locular, with 2–8 axile ovules in 1–2 rows per loculus, sessile or on a gynophore, usually immersed in the disk; style simple; stigma 3-lobed or entire.
Inflorescence pedunculate or sessile, cymose, dichasial or monochasial or fasciculate, simple, without accessory branches, axillary or extra-axillary; bracts persistent.
Lianes or shrubs or small trees, often with the upper branches scandent, rarely rhizomatous shrublets, with or without latex.
Disk extrastaminal, single, varying in shape, free or variously united with other floral parts.
Leaves opposite to alternate, petiolate; stipules small, free, deciduous, or absent.
Sepals (4)5(6), imbricate, free or ± united, the inner ones sometimes ± petaloid.
Petals (4)5(6), green, white, yellow, orange, brownish or red, imbricate in bud.
Flowers bisexual or functionally unisexual.
Germination hypogeal (2 species).
Seeds (pyrenes) ± irregular.
