Information

Trees, shrubs or geophytic shrublets, less often annual or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, simple (pinnate and opposite in Rhytidanthera, a small S American genus) often with numerous lateral veins and densely reticulate tertiary venation, entire to serrate or setulose; stipules entire to deeply divided, deciduous or persistent. Flowers hermaphrodite, almost always regular, solitary or in fascicles or raceme-like, paniculate or cymose inflorescences; pedicels often articulated. Sepals (3–4–)5(–6–10), free, usually quincuncially imbricate, persistent or deciduous. Petals (4–)5(–6–12), free, contorted in bud, often clawed, deciduous. Stamens few to many, with persistent filaments; anthers linear, basifixed, dehiscing lengthwise or by apical pores; staminodes present outside stamens in a few genera (Sauvagesia and allies). Ovary superior, sessile, syncarpous, entire to lobed with style and 2–5 parietal placentas each with 1–many ovules, or with (3–)5(–6–15) lobes each with 1 ovule and style gynobasic; styles as many as placentas or ovary-lobes but completely united or free only at the apex with one globose or lobed stigma or separate stigmas. Fruit a collection of 3–12 one-seeded drupelets borne on a fleshy enlarged receptacle, a nut surrounded by unequal enlarged sepals or a septicidal 2–5-valved, 1–many-seeded capsule. Seeds with or without endosperm.

Information

Trees, shrubs or geophytic shrublets, less often annual or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, simple (pinnate and opposite in Rhytidanthera, a small S American genus) often with numerous lateral veins and densely reticulate tertiary venation, entire to serrate or setulose; stipules entire to deeply divided, deciduous or persistent. Flowers hermaphrodite, almost always regular, solitary or in fascicles or raceme-like, paniculate or cymose inflorescences; pedicels often articulated. Sepals (3–4–)5(–6–10), free, usually quincuncially imbricate, persistent or deciduous. Petals (4–)5(–6–12), free, contorted in bud, often clawed, deciduous. Stamens few to many, with persistent filaments; anthers linear, basifixed, dehiscing lengthwise or by apical pores; staminodes present outside stamens in a few genera (Sauvagesia and allies). Ovary superior, sessile, syncarpous, entire to lobed with style and 2–5 parietal placentas each with 1–many ovules, or with (3–)5(–6–15) lobes each with 1 ovule and style gynobasic; styles as many as placentas or ovary-lobes but completely united or free only at the apex with one globose or lobed stigma or separate stigmas. Fruit a collection of 3–12 one-seeded drupelets borne on a fleshy enlarged receptacle, a nut surrounded by unequal enlarged sepals or a septicidal 2–5-valved, 1–many-seeded capsule. Seeds with or without endosperm.

Information

Trees, shrubs or geophytic shrublets, less often annual or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, simple (pinnate and opposite in Rhytidanthera, a small S American genus) often with numerous lateral veins and densely reticulate tertiary venation, entire to serrate or setulose; stipules entire to deeply divided, deciduous or persistent. Flowers hermaphrodite, almost always regular, solitary or in fascicles or raceme-like, paniculate or cymose inflorescences; pedicels often articulated. Sepals (3–4–)5(–6–10), free, usually quincuncially imbricate, persistent or deciduous. Petals (4–)5(–6–12), free, contorted in bud, often clawed, deciduous. Stamens few to many, with persistent filaments; anthers linear, basifixed, dehiscing lengthwise or by apical pores; staminodes present outside stamens in a few genera (Sauvagesia and allies). Ovary superior, sessile, syncarpous, entire to lobed with style and 2–5 parietal placentas each with 1–many ovules, or with (3–)5(–6–15) lobes each with 1 ovule and style gynobasic; styles as many as placentas or ovary-lobes but completely united or free only at the apex with one globose or lobed stigma or separate stigmas. Fruit a collection of 3–12 one-seeded drupelets borne on a fleshy enlarged receptacle, a nut surrounded by unequal enlarged sepals or a septicidal 2–5-valved, 1–many-seeded capsule. Seeds with or without endosperm.