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Small shrubs to large trees, without aerial roots. Leaves decussate or rarely verticillate, elliptic to more rarely obovate or ovate, rarely circular, leathery to membranous, very usually petiolate, entire to serrate, especially towards the apex. Flowers solitary to numerous and fascicled; pedicels articulate. Calyx connate, sometimes adnate to the ovary, variously campanulate, 4–7-lobed; lobes valvate. Petals inflexed in bud, margin divided above (usually laciniate), usually glabrous. Stamens 8–45, variously inserted in relation to the disc (which may be very little developed or ? absent). Ovary superior, half-inferior or sub-inferior, 2–4-celled; style often persistent. Fruit a thinly fleshy septicidally dehiscent capsule; seeds 2–4, arillate, with a leathery testa; endosperm fleshy; embryo straight with flat cotyledons.