Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees, shrubs, lianas, or vines, the latter two types with axillary tendrils representing modified inflorescences.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound (pinnate or trifoliate), occasionally simple. Alternate, rarely opposite. Epidermis usually with scattered mucilage cells. Petiolate; petiolules usually swollen. Stipules absent, or sometimes present and small in vining types.

Flowers: Flowers in terminal or axillary usually cymose or cymose–paniculate inflorescences, occasionally solitary. Flowers unisexual, occasionally bisexual (perfect), actinomorphic to slightly irregular. Calyx of 4–5 sepals; sepals distinct or occasionally basally connate, imbricate, rarely valvate. Corolla of (3)4–5 petals rarely more; petals sometimes absent, usually with scales toward the base that conceal the nectary disk. Stamens 4–10, rarely more; filaments usually pubescent; anthers dithecal, opening by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, (1-)3(or 4)-loculed; ovules 1 or 2(or several) per locule, placentation axile, rarely parietal, anatropous, campylotropous, or amphitropous; style usually apical (terminal), semigynobasic in Allophylus [gynobasic in Deinbollia Schumacher & Thonning]; stigma entire or 2 or 3(or 4)-lobed, usually rudimentary in male flowers.

Fruit: Fruit of diverse types; fleshy or dry; dehiscent or indehiscent. Seeds usually with an aril; endosperm absent.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

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