Trees or shrubs, sometimes dioecious, unarmed. Raphides present. Leaves opposite, often distichous on horizontal branches, apparently without domatia, with tertiary venation often regularly rectangular-areolate or clathrate and quaternary venation not visible; stipules persistent or caducous, interpetiolar, narrowly triangular to linear [or sometimes reduced], acute. Inflorescences axillary, capitate to cymose or often umbelliform, few to several flowered, pedunculate or sessile, bracteate or bracts reduced. Flowers pedicellate and ebracteate, bisexual and apparently monomorphic or sometimes unisexual. Calyx limb cupular, (4 or)5(-7)-toothed. Corolla white to yellow, rotate, shortly tubular, or funnelform, inside villous in throat, leathery; lobes (4 or)5(-7), valvate in bud. Stamens (4 or)5(-7), inserted in corolla throat, included or exserted; filaments short; anthers apparently dorsifixed. Ovary (4 or)5(-7)-celled, ovules numerous in each cell on axile placentas attached at inner corner of cell; style often swollen at base; stigmas 3-8-lobed, exserted. Fruit white, orange, yellow, or red, baccate, fleshy, ellipsoid to subglobose, with calyx limb persistent; seeds numerous, small, subglobose; testa crustaceous, areolate; embryo clavate.
Home