Description: Small trees, shrubs or undershrubs; stem and branches with stellate or irregularly branched hairs, sometimes mixed with simple septate hairs.
Leaves simple, decussate, petiolate.
Inflorescences axillary in axils of upper leaves, cymose, pedunculate. Flowers small, actinomorphic. Calyx tubular or shortly campanulate, truncate or 4-toothed, persistent in fruit. Corolla tubular, 4-lobed. Stamens 4, equal, strongly exserted from corolla tube. Ovary 4-locular; style filiform; stigma ± 2-fid.
Fruit a drupe, small, succulent.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 150 species, warm-temp. & tropical America, South-East Asia, Malesia, Pac. Is. Australia: 7 species (2 species endemic), Qld, N.S.W., N.T., W.A.
Text by B. J. Conn
Taxon concept:
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