Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Broom-like shrubs or small trees.

Stems: Stems usually densely branched toward the ends, these stiff and erect, conspicuously striate.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, rarely subopposite. Blades of 2 types, both types caducous. larger expanded leaves elliptic, oblanceolate to broadly obovate, minute scales 1–5 mm long, and larger expanded ones, 10–90 mm long. Base attenuate. Secondary veins arising at the leaf base and running parallel to the midrib. Sessile. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in terminal and axillary spikes. Flowers bisexual (perfect), sessile and unisexual (plants polygamodioecious). Calyx (sepals) absent. Corolla of (4)5(6) petals; petals green, yellowish green to red, distinct, 1–3(–3.5) mm long. Stamens (4–)5; all more or less similar in shape. Ovary partly superior, embedded in a fleshy receptacle; ovule 1, embedded in the placenta and scarcely differentiated from it (the placental column could be taken as a single massive ovule).

Fruit: Drupes yellow to bright red embedded in an expanded; yellow to red; fleshy receptacle; entire fruit 7–16 mm long; the exposed portion above the receptacle 5–9 mm long; sessile.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range: