Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees or shrubs deciduous.

Stems: Buds stalked with 2(or 3) scales or sessile with several overlapping scales.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Margins usually serrate or dentate, rarely incised or entire. Veins pinnate. Petiolate. Stipules present.

Flowers: Flowers in male inflorescence elongate, pendulous, cylindric, with numerous overlapping bracts, each bract subtending (3 or)4(or 5) bracteoles and 3 flowers; stamens (1–)4; filaments very short; anthers 2-loculed, thecae connate, apex glabrous, opening by longitudinal slits. female inflorescence 1, or 2–numerous in a raceme or panicle, ovoid or ellipsoid, conelike; bracts numerous, overlapping, woody, persistent, apex 5-lobulate, each bract subtending 2 flowers; petals absent; ovary inferior, 2-loculed; styles 2, free; ovules pendulous from near apex of each locule. Flowers unisexual and plants monoecious. Calyx (sepals) 4-lobed in staminate plants; absent in pistillate plants. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens (1-)4; anthers 2-loculed, thecae connate, apex glabrous. Ovary superior.

Fruit: Nutlets 2 in each bract axil; compressed; with membranous or papery wings. Seeds 1 per fruit; with straight embryo; without endosperm.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range: