The World Flora Online

Herbs, shrubs, or trees (to 20 m tall), erect, climbing, or rarely epiphytic. Stipules lacking. Leaves simple, commonly opposite and decussate with one of a pair slightly smaller than other, rarely verticillate or alternate by abortion of one of a pair, usually 1-4(or 5) secondary veins on each side of midvein, originating at or near base and anastomosing apically, tertiary veins numerous, parallel, and connecting secondary veins and midvein but in Memecylon secondary veins pinnate and tertiary veins reticulate. Inflorescences cymose, umbellate, corymbose, in paniculate clusters, or a cincinnus, rarely flowers single, fascicled, or born on a spike; bracts sometimes conspicuous and persistent. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic but androecium often slightly zygomorphic, usually (3 or)4- or 5(or 6)-merous, perianth biseriate, perigynous; bracteoles opposite, usually caducous. Hypanthium funnel-shaped, campanulate, cyathiform, or urceolate. Calyx lobes (3-)5(or 6), valvate (rarely connate, but not in Chinese species). Petals (3-)5(or 6), equal to number of sepals, distinct, imbricate. Stamens usually twice as many as petals and in 2 whorls, rarely as many as petals by loss of 1 whorl, isomorphic or dimorphic; filaments distinct, often geniculate, inflexed in bud; anthers typically 2-celled, introrse, basifixed, dehiscent by 1 or 2 apical pores or by short longitudinal slits (Astronia, Memecylon); connective often variously appendaged. Pistil and style 1; stigma minute, capitate or truncate. Ovary commonly inferior or semi-inferior, locules usually (3 or)4 or 5(or 6) with numerous anatropous ovules, rarely 1-loculed and ovules ca. 9 (Memecylon); placentation axillary, parietal (Astronia and, outside China, Pternandra Jack), or free central (Memecylon). Fruit a dry or fleshy capsule or a berry, loculicidally dehiscent or indehiscent. Seeds (when 3-6-loculed) usually small, curved through half a circle (cochleate) or wedge-shaped (cuneate), in Memecylon seeds large and ovoid; endosperm absent.

Seeds minute, without endosperm Calyx tubular, free or adnate to the ovary, or sometimes connected to it by septa-like strands; lobes imbricate or rarely valvate Petals imbricate, free, rarely united at the base Leaves simple, opposite or verticillate, mostly with 3 to 9 longitudinally parallel nerves; stipules 0 Flowers hermaphrodite, mostly very showy, actinomorphic Ovary mostly inferior, 1- to many-celled; style simple; ovules numerous, axile, or rarely basal or parietal Fruit a capsule or berry Corona sometimes present Stamens the same to double the number of the petals; filaments free, often geniculate, inflexed; anthers 2-celled, opening by a pore at the apex or rarely by a slit (Memecylon), connective often appendaged at the base Herbs, shrubs or trees; branches opposite Calyx tubular, free or adnate to the ovary, or sometimes connected to it by septa-like strands; lobes imbricate or rarely valvate Petals imbricate, free, rarely united at the base Leaves simple, opposite or verticillate, mostly with 3 to 9 longitudinally parallel nerves; stipules 0 Flowers hermaphrodite, mostly very showy, actinomorphic Ovary mostly inferior, 1- to many-celled; style simple; ovules numerous, axile, or rarely basal or parietal Fruit a capsule or berry Corona sometimes present Stamens the same to double the number of the petals; filaments free, often geniculate, inflexed; anthers 2-celled, opening by a pore at the apex or rarely by a slit (Memecylon), connective often appendaged at the base Herbs, shrubs or trees; branches opposite

Fls commonly showy, mostly perfect, partly or wholly epigynous (or strongly perigynous with the hypanthium enveloping but free from the ovary), mostly 4–5-merous, regular except for the stamens; sep valvate; pet convolute, distinct; stamens usually twice as many as the pet; filaments generally inflexed in bud (each anther sometimes occupying a cavity between the hypanthium and the ovary), commonly twisted at anthesis so as to bring all the anthers to one side of the fl; anthers mostly opening by terminal pores; connective commonly provided with one or more appendages of diverse form; nectaries mostly wanting; ovary mostly 3–5-locular, with a terminal style and capitate or punctate stigma; ovules ± numerous, mostly axile; fr a loculicidal capsule or a berry; embryo with 2 commonly unequal cotyledons; endosperm wanting; lvs simple, usually opposite and entire, mostly exstipulate, commonly with 3–9 prominent veins, the lateral ones arching and subparallel. 200/4000, mostly of warm reg., esp. S. Amer.

Trees, shrubs or more commonly herbs, rarely climbers, sometimes epiphytes Leaves opposite and decussate, rarely verticillate, sometimes anisophyllous, simple to entire, serrate, exstipulate, usually with a distinctive nervation of 2–8 strong basal nerves ± parallel to the midrib, rarely pinnately nerved Ovary 1-locular with basal placentation >i>(Memecylon) to several-locular with axile placentation; ovules usually numerous; style and stigma 1 Stamens perigynous or epigynous, as many as the petals or more usually twice as many as the petals and in 2 whorls, the whorls equal to very unequal; anthers usually 2-thecous, introrse, basifixed, each anther dehiscing by a single pore or more rarely by a slit (Memecylon); anther-connectives often elongated and often either tubercled or spurred at the junction with the filament; filaments often geniculate, inflexed in bud, sometimes twisted Seeds small or minute, without endosperm and with a very small embryo; one cotyledon larger than the other Fruit a loculicidal capsule or a berry Flowers hermaphrodite, regular (androecium sometimes slightly zygomorphic), mostly 4–5(–6)-merous Inflorescences various, sometimes bracteate Petals 4–5, free or rarely united at the base, imbricate or convolute, often magenta coloured Calyx tubular or campanulate, free or partially adnate to the ovary or sometimes connected to it by septa-like strands (no distinction is made here between the hypanthium and calyx proper); lobes valvate or connate and forming a calyptra-like head in bud, deciduous or persistent; various appendages may alternate with or arise from the calyx-lobes Leaves opposite and decussate, rarely verticillate, sometimes anisophyllous, simple to entire, serrate, exstipulate, usually with a distinctive nervation of 2–8 strong basal nerves ± parallel to the midrib, rarely pinnately nerved Ovary 1-locular with basal placentation >i>(Memecylon) to several-locular with axile placentation; ovules usually numerous; style and stigma 1 Stamens perigynous or epigynous, as many as the petals or more usually twice as many as the petals and in 2 whorls, the whorls equal to very unequal; anthers usually 2-thecous, introrse, basifixed, each anther dehiscing by a single pore or more rarely by a slit (Memecylon); anther-connectives often elongated and often either tubercled or spurred at the junction with the filament; filaments often geniculate, inflexed in bud, sometimes twisted Seeds small or minute, without endosperm and with a very small embryo; one cotyledon larger than the other Fruit a loculicidal capsule or a berry Flowers hermaphrodite, regular (androecium sometimes slightly zygomorphic), mostly 4–5(–6)-merous Inflorescences various, sometimes bracteate Petals 4–5, free or rarely united at the base, imbricate or convolute, often magenta coloured Calyx tubular or campanulate, free or partially adnate to the ovary or sometimes connected to it by septa-like strands (no distinction is made here between the hypanthium and calyx proper); lobes valvate or connate and forming a calyptra-like head in bud, deciduous or persistent; various appendages may alternate with or arise from the calyx-lobes

Seeds minute, cochleate, cuneiform, pyramidal or cylindrical in the many-seeded genera and globose or hemispherical in the few-seeded ones; embryo subcylindric or sub-globose, without endosperm Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic as regards the stamens, bisexual, (3)4–5(6)-merous Flowers in cymes, arranged in heads, fascicles or in ± ample panicles, rarely flowers solitary Leaves opposite or sometimes verticillate, longitudinally (1)3–5–7(1 l)-nerved, rarely penninerved, simple, without stipules Perennial or annual erect or prostrate terrestrial or epiphytic herbs, lianes, shrubs or trees, with a variable indumentum or glabrous Stamens epigynous, rarely perigynous, twice as many or rarely as many as the petals; filaments free, inflected in the bud; anthers basifixed, 2-locular, dehiscing by 1 apical pore (rarely by 2 and very rarely by 4) or by 2 longitudinal slits; connective produced or not at the base and provided anteriorly and/or posteriorly with appendages of several types Petals as many as the sepals, inserted on the margin of the receptacle, very rarely connate at the base, imbricate or contorted Sepals imbricate or rarely subvalvate, caducous or persistent, rarely 0; intersepalar segments sometimes present Receptacle free or adherent to the ovary by longitudinal ridges or ± adnate to it Ovary 2-¥-locular or 1-locular by suppression of the dissepiments (Memecylon), glabrous, setose or with scales at the apex; style 1, terminal, straight or curved with a dot-like or subcapitate stigma; ovules anatropous Fruit a many-seeded capsule, sometimes baccate, included in the receptacle, rarely semiexserted, opening by loculicidal valves, rarely dehiscing irregularly, or a berry, 1-few-seeded Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic as regards the stamens, bisexual, (3)4–5(6)-merous Flowers in cymes, arranged in heads, fascicles or in ± ample panicles, rarely flowers solitary Leaves opposite or sometimes verticillate, longitudinally (1)3–5–7(1 l)-nerved, rarely penninerved, simple, without stipules Perennial or annual erect or prostrate terrestrial or epiphytic herbs, lianes, shrubs or trees, with a variable indumentum or glabrous Stamens epigynous, rarely perigynous, twice as many or rarely as many as the petals; filaments free, inflected in the bud; anthers basifixed, 2-locular, dehiscing by 1 apical pore (rarely by 2 and very rarely by 4) or by 2 longitudinal slits; connective produced or not at the base and provided anteriorly and/or posteriorly with appendages of several types Petals as many as the sepals, inserted on the margin of the receptacle, very rarely connate at the base, imbricate or contorted Sepals imbricate or rarely subvalvate, caducous or persistent, rarely 0; intersepalar segments sometimes present Receptacle free or adherent to the ovary by longitudinal ridges or ± adnate to it Ovary 2-¥-locular or 1-locular by suppression of the dissepiments (Memecylon), glabrous, setose or with scales at the apex; style 1, terminal, straight or curved with a dot-like or subcapitate stigma; ovules anatropous Fruit a many-seeded capsule, sometimes baccate, included in the receptacle, rarely semiexserted, opening by loculicidal valves, rarely dehiscing irregularly, or a berry, 1-few-seeded