Trees, more or less scandent shrubs, or lianas. Young branches (except those immediately below inflorescence) often with paired thorns. Leaves petiolate; stipules seemingly present at base of older leaves, as paired thorns, or absent. Inflorescences axillary and terminal, few-flowered racemes to irregular, profusely flowering panicles; lower bracts sometimes leaf-like, membranaceous; bracteoles similar to but smaller than bracts, or absent. Flowers bisexual, pedicellate; tepals 5, reflexed in fruit, membranous, colored, glabrous, subequal; stamens ca. 15-65, irregularly inserted, anthers versatile, extrorse, linear, cordate at base and apex; ovary 1-locular, ovule 1, basal, campylotropous, ovary compressed and merging with winged style, stigma 1, papillose, decurrent on thicker margin of style. Fruit a samara with a dorsal wing, growing out from elongating style, basal part sometimes bearing lateral winglets; seed 1, globose or compressed-globose, testa coriaceous, embryo extremely curved.
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