The World Flora Online

Shrubs or small trees. Young branches and leaves with peltate scales. Leaves alternate; stipules small, sheathing bud, fugacious; petiole swollen at base and apex; leaf blade simple, palmately veined. Inflorescence a terminal panicle. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic. Sepals 5, free, imbricate, with basal, abaxial glands, fugacious. Petals 5, imbricate, large and conspicuous. Stamens many, free or slightly united at base; anthers oblong, with 2 inverted, U-shaped thecae, dehiscing by short, apical slits on bend. Ovary superior, 1-loculed; ovules many on 2 parietal placentas; style slender; stigmas 2-lobed. Fruit a capsule, loculicidally 2-valved, usually spiny. Seeds many; testa red, slightly fleshy; embryo large; cotyledons broad, incurved at apex; endosperm copious.

Shrubs or small trees with coloured juice Ovary superior, 1-celled, with 2 parietal placentas; ovules numerous; style slender, recurved in bud; stigma 2-lobed Stamens numerous, hypogynous; filaments free; anthers horse-shoe-shaped, opening by short slits at the top Seeds obovoid; testa rather fleshy, red; endosperm copious; embryo large; cotyledons broad, incurved at the apex Fruit a densely echinate-setose or smooth capsule, 2-valved; valves thick, with the placentas in the middle Sepals 5, imbricate, deciduous, with a large fleshy gland at the base outside Flowers hermaphrodite, medium-sized, showy, paniculate Disk none Petals 5, large, imbricate, without a scale at the base Leaves alternate, simple, palminerved, stipulate Ovary superior, 1-celled, with 2 parietal placentas; ovules numerous; style slender, recurved in bud; stigma 2-lobed Stamens numerous, hypogynous; filaments free; anthers horse-shoe-shaped, opening by short slits at the top Seeds obovoid; testa rather fleshy, red; endosperm copious; embryo large; cotyledons broad, incurved at the apex Fruit a densely echinate-setose or smooth capsule, 2-valved; valves thick, with the placentas in the middle Sepals 5, imbricate, deciduous, with a large fleshy gland at the base outside Flowers hermaphrodite, medium-sized, showy, paniculate Disk none Petals 5, large, imbricate, without a scale at the base Leaves alternate, simple, palminerved, stipulate

Plantes'ligneuses à sève colorée.'Feuilles'stipulées, alternes, simples, palmatinerves.'Inflorescences'terminales en corymbes ou panicules.'Fleurs'☿, actinomorphes, 5-mères; sépales libres, caducs, à préfloraison imbriquée; pétales libres, caducs, à préfloraison imbriquée; étamines ∞, libres, insérées sur un disque annulaire; anthères courbées en forme de fer à cheval, 2-loculaires, s'ouvrant par 2 fentes apicales; ovaire supère, 1-loculaire, à 2(3-4) placentas pariétaux; style filiforme; stigmate légèrement bilobé; ovules ∞, anatropes, bitégumentés.'Fruits': capsules à 2(3-4) valves.'Graines ∞, à tégument externe charnu; embryon grand; albumen volumineux.\n\t\t\tFamille monogénérique; 2 espèces originaires d'Amérique tropicale.

Trees or shrubs Flowers hermaphrodite, regular, in terminal corymbs or panicles Leaves spiral; blades simple, entire, pendulous to perpendicularly hinged from the long erect petioles; petioles with a swelling (pulvinus) at the apex and base; stipules paired, very quickly caducous, leaving a horseshoe-shaped, scale-like scar with a sessile gland on either side of the petiole-base Sepals (4–)5, free, imbricate in bud, caducous on expansion of the flower Receptacle with sessile glands around the rim Petals (4–)5(–7), free, imbricate in bud Seeds numerous; testa fleshy; endosperm copious; embryo large Fruit an echinate, setose or smooth capsule, loculicidally bivalved (rarely 3-valved) Ovary superior, 1-locular; ovules numerous on 2(–3) parietal placentas; style simple, elongated; stigma shortly 2-lobed Stamens numerous, inserted on the annular disc; filaments free; anthers with 2 horseshoe-shaped thecae, dehiscing by short slits on the apical bend Flowers hermaphrodite, regular, in terminal corymbs or panicles Leaves spiral; blades simple, entire, pendulous to perpendicularly hinged from the long erect petioles; petioles with a swelling (pulvinus) at the apex and base; stipules paired, very quickly caducous, leaving a horseshoe-shaped, scale-like scar with a sessile gland on either side of the petiole-base Sepals (4–)5, free, imbricate in bud, caducous on expansion of the flower Receptacle with sessile glands around the rim Petals (4–)5(–7), free, imbricate in bud Seeds numerous; testa fleshy; endosperm copious; embryo large Fruit an echinate, setose or smooth capsule, loculicidally bivalved (rarely 3-valved) Ovary superior, 1-locular; ovules numerous on 2(–3) parietal placentas; style simple, elongated; stigma shortly 2-lobed Stamens numerous, inserted on the annular disc; filaments free; anthers with 2 horseshoe-shaped thecae, dehiscing by short slits on the apical bend

Sepals 4–5, free, imbricate in bud, falling off when the flower expands Petals 4–7, free, imbricate in bud Stamens ?, inserted on an annular disk; anthers opening by pore-like slits Ovary superior, usually bristly, 1-locular, multiovulate with 2 parietal placentas; style 1, stigma 2-lobed Leaves alternate, petiolate, simple, palmatinerved, stipulate Flowers in terminal corymbs or panicles, bisexual, actinomorphic; pedicels with 5–6 apical glands Seeds numerous; testa fleshy, densely studded with red glands; endosperm copious; embryo large Fruit a densely echinate-setose or smooth capsule, 2-valved; valves thick with the placentas in the middle Shrubs or small trees with coloured juice Petals 4–7, free, imbricate in bud Stamens ?, inserted on an annular disk; anthers opening by pore-like slits Ovary superior, usually bristly, 1-locular, multiovulate with 2 parietal placentas; style 1, stigma 2-lobed Leaves alternate, petiolate, simple, palmatinerved, stipulate Flowers in terminal corymbs or panicles, bisexual, actinomorphic; pedicels with 5–6 apical glands Seeds numerous; testa fleshy, densely studded with red glands; endosperm copious; embryo large Fruit a densely echinate-setose or smooth capsule, 2-valved; valves thick with the placentas in the middle Shrubs or small trees with coloured juice