Description
Key Characters:
Growth Form:
Fast–growing trees to ca. 20–30 m tall.
Stems:
Bark thick, fibrous, bitter, astringent.
Roots:
Leaves:
Leaves compound (pinnate).
Alternate.
Leaflets narrowly ovate to lanceolate, usually 3–6 dm long, leaflets 10–14(–18), 4.5–16 cm long.
Apex acute to caudate.
Base inequilateral.
Surfaces glabrous or at least sparsely pubescent.
Leaflet margins entire.
Petiolate.
Stipules absent.
Flowers:
Flowers in many-branched thyrses.
Flowers unisexual (with well–developed rudiments of the opposite sex present).
Calyx (4)5-lobed, lobes ca. 1 mm long.
Corolla of 5 petals, distinct, white, ca. 5–6 mm long, margins ciliate, longer than calyx in bud, imbricate, adnate at base to a short androgynophore.
Stamens 5, distinct, arising from the androgynophore, staminal filaments ca. 2 mm long, staminodes absent; anthers of staminate flowers yellow, dehiscent; on pistillate flowers smaller, brown and shriveled, indehiscent, not producing pollen.
Ovary superior, 5-celled; ovules 6–10 per cell, ovary and style glabrous; style capitate; in staminate flowers ovary more slender, cells well–developed and style longer.
Fruit:
Capsules reddish brown; pendulous; septicidal; with some lighter spots; ellipsoid; 2–2.8 cm long; opening by 5–valves; the columella 5–angled.
Seeds brown; thin; dry; the embryo portion ca. 1–2 mm long; with 2 wings; the longer one ca. 5–12 mm long; the other ca. ½ as long.
Ploidy:
2n = 56
Habitat:
Mesic to wet; disturbed habitats.
Elevation Range:
25–610 m.