Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees, often large, usually with white or pale yellow milky sap; branches usually quadrangular.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite, decussate. Blades thick. Margins entire. Lateral veins numerous, closely spaced, and parallel. Petiolate [or rarely sessile]. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary or pseudoterminal, racemose or paniculate inflorescences. Flowers bisexual (perfect), sometimes unisexual (and then plants dioecious). Calyx of 4 sepals, in 2 decussate pairs, outer ones concave and enclosing the bud, inner ones longer, petaloid. Corolla of (0)4–8(–10) petals. Stamens numerous; filaments distinct, weakly 4–fasciculate. Ovary superior, 1-celled; ovule 1, basal, erect; stigma peltate.

Fruit: Fruit drupaceous with thin pulp; endocarp leathery or crustaceous. Seeds without an aril.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range: