Description: Herbs or shrubs, densely stellate-hairy.
Leaves alternate, often 2-ranked, entire, toothed or lobed, leaves subtending inflorescences often smaller.
Flowers clustered in shortly-pedunculate cymes, often forming interrupted panicles, leaves reducing in size up inflorescence; shortly pedicellate. Sepals hooded. Petals glabrous. Sepals and petals inserted below the hairy, disc-like receptacle that bears the numerous stamens. Ovary 2-locular, style as long as the stamens.
Fruit ± globose, covered with hooked bristles.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 70 species, widespread, tropical regions. Australia: 18 species, Qld, N.S.W., N.T., W.A., chiefly tropical
Text by G. J. Harden
Taxon concept:
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