Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees or shrubs, sometimes epiphytes (australia and new guinea) or vines, secretory canals present in most parts.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound (palmate) rarely simple. Alternate. Leaves palmately compound, rarely simple. Petioles expanded into a sheath at base, leaflets petiolate. Stipules connate at petiole base, forming a ligule.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences compound–umbellate or paniculate–racemose, the ultimate units umbellules, heads, racemules, or spicules, terminal (but often appearing lateral). Flowers bisexual (perfect). Pedicels not jointed. Calyx small. Petals valvate, often calyptrate. Stamens usually as many as and alternate with the petals, sometimes numerous, distinct, inserted at the edge of the epigynous nectary disk. Ovary inferior, 2–5(to many)-carpellate, carpells connate (rarely pseudomonomerous), with as many cells; ovules pendulous, 2 per cell, 1 abortive; styles as many as carpels, distinct or variously connate into a stylopodium.

Fruit: Drupes with a flesh exocarp; pyrenes laterally compressed; cartilaginous. Seeds 1 per pyrene; embryo small.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range: