The World Flora Online

Arbres, arbustes ou lianes monoïques ou dioïques. Feuilles alternes (sauf chez Iodes où elles sont opposées), entières ou sinusées, pétiolées, non stipulées. Nervation palmée ou pennée. Hydathodes présents dans quelques genres. Inflorescences variables: grappes, fascicules, panicules, épis, cymes, glomérules ou ombelles; en position axillaire, supra-axillaire, caulinaire, terminale ou oppositifoliée. Fleurs actinomorphes, tri-, tétra-, penta-, ou parfois hexamères. Sépales présents ou absents, alternipétales. Pétales libres ou soudés, valvaires, glabres ou pubescents à la face interne. Étamines libres ou soudées à la corolle, gynobasiques, alternipétales, en même nombre que ceux-ci, absentes dans les fleurs femelles, parfois remplacées par des staminodes; anthères introrses à 2 loges à fentes de déhiscence longitudinales. Ovaire supère uniloculaire à 2 ovules pendants. Style de forme variable. Drupe monosperme parfois entourée par un organe accrescent. Endocarpe ligneux ou crustacé, ornementé à sa face interne dans quelques genres. Embryon petit et apical, ou grand et occupant toute la longueur de la graine.

Arbres , arbustes ± grimpants, volubiles ou lianes, parfois munis de vrilles, parfois épineux, monoïques ou dioïques.'Feuilles'en général alternes, rarement opposées, simples, entières, dentées, parfois lobées, penninerves, plus rarement palminerves, à nervures quelquefois terminées par des hydatodes1 ± saillants; stipules nulles.'Inflorescences'axillaires, supra-axillaires, terminales ou naissant sur rameaux défeuillés ou caulinaires, en glomérules, fascicules, épis, racèmes, panicules, rarement fleurs solitaires; bractées souvent présentes.'Fleurs'en général petites, ☿ ou ♂♀, actinomorphes, à pédicelle souvent articulé sous la fleur et parfois muni de bractéoles; calice petit, à 3-6 sépales libres ou ± soudés, imbriqués, rarement valvaires, parfois nul; pétales 3-6, valvaires, libres ou ± soudés à la base, ou unis en tube, parfois fortement accrescents; étamines 3-6, alternipétales; filets libres ou ± longuement soudés avec la corolle; disque parfois présent; gynécée à ovaire 1-loculaire, à 2 ovules pendants; style parfois excentrique ou nul; stigmate entier, capité, discoïde, lobé ou divisé et ± rayonnant.'Drupes'charnues ou ± sèches, parfois asymétriques, 1-loculaires, parfois enveloppées par la corolle accrescente; endocarpe crustacé à ligneux, parfois muni de poils, de verrues ou d'aiguillons sur la face interne.'Graine 1, à albumen parfois ± ruminé, parfois à nombreux alvéoles correspondant aux verrues ou aiguillons de l'endocarpe; embryon petit et situé au sommet ou au milieu de l'albumen ou grand et égalant ± l'albumen.\n\t\t\tFamille groupant 58 genres et ± 350 espèces des régions tropicales et subtropicales; au Congo belge, 13 genres, 31 espèces et 7 variétés.\n\t\t\tLe bois, souvent de structure spéciale, a été étudié et figuré par Sleumer (l.c.); il permet de reconnaître certains groupes. Pour le pollen, voir A.O. Dahl (Journ. Arn. Arb., XXXIII, p. 252-286, t. 1-9, 1952).

Calyx small, 3–5-lobed; lobes imbricate or valvate, rarely enlarging and enveloping the fruit Flowers hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, actinomorphic Stamens the same number as the petals and alternate with them; anthers 2-celled; filaments often hairy, free Petals 3–5, free or united, valvate, rarely absent Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple; stipules absent Trees, shrubs or rarely climbers Ovary superior, 1-celled, 1-seeded Disk rarely present Seeds mostly with endosperm; embryo usually small, more or less straight Flowers hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, actinomorphic Stamens the same number as the petals and alternate with them; anthers 2-celled; filaments often hairy, free Petals 3–5, free or united, valvate, rarely absent Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple; stipules absent Trees, shrubs or rarely climbers Ovary superior, 1-celled, 1-seeded Disk rarely present Seeds mostly with endosperm; embryo usually small, more or less straight

Style simple or stigma sessile Seed usually with copious endosperm; embryo usually small, ± straight Fruit drupaceous, 1-seeded Leaves simple, alternate or opposite, penninerved or rarely palmatinerved; stipules absent (in our area) Trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing, or lianes Calyx small or absent Petals usually valvate, free or ± united, or united into a long tube Inflorescences axillary, supraxillary or terminal Flowers bisexual or unisexual by abortion, (4) 5-merous, actinomorphic Stamens free or adnate to the petals; anthers 2-thecous, opening lengthwise Ovary superior, 1-locular (in our area); ovules pendulous from near the apex, usually 2 Seed usually with copious endosperm; embryo usually small, ± straight Fruit drupaceous, 1-seeded Leaves simple, alternate or opposite, penninerved or rarely palmatinerved; stipules absent (in our area) Trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing, or lianes Calyx small or absent Petals usually valvate, free or ± united, or united into a long tube Inflorescences axillary, supraxillary or terminal Flowers bisexual or unisexual by abortion, (4) 5-merous, actinomorphic Stamens free or adnate to the petals; anthers 2-thecous, opening lengthwise Ovary superior, 1-locular (in our area); ovules pendulous from near the apex, usually 2

Trees, shrubs, or lianas, occasionally with tendrils. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, estipulate, veins mostly pinnate, sometimes palmate, margin usually entire, rarely lobed or denticulate. Inflorescences spikes, racemes, panicles, or cymes, axillary or terminal, rarely opposite leaves, with small bracts or not. Flowers regular, bisexual, sometimes polygamous or unisexual, (3 or)4- or 5(or 6)-merous. Calyx generally articulate to pedicel, usually persistent, small; lobes imbricate, rarely valvate. Petals present, rarely absent, free or connate at base, imbricate, rarely valvate, apices mostly inflexed or incurved. Stamens as many as petals; filaments free or on corolla tube, alternate with corolla lobes, often pilose at apex; anthers 2-celled, introrse. Disk rarely developed, cupular or divided. Ovary superior, 2-carpellate, coherent, 1-loculed, rarely 3-5-loculed; ovules 2, rarely 1 per locule, pendulous from apex, anatropous with abaxial raphe and micropyle facing upward; funicle usually thickened above micropyle; style rarely developed, simple; stigmas 2(or 3-5), or coherent to capitate or peltate. Fruit 1-loculed, 1-seeded, rarely 2-seeded, usually a drupe, rarely samaroid. Seeds pendulous, with a thin testa; endosperm usually present, embryo small, straight or curved; cotyledons usually ovate.

Trees, shrubs or climbers Leaves mostly alternate, sometimes opposite, coriaceous, glabrous to densely pilose, exstipulate Stamens equal in number to and alternate with petals; anthers dithecous (rarely 4-lobed), with longitudinal dehiscence; filaments often tomentose, free or adnate to petals (e.g. in Leptaulus) Disk rarely present Ovary unilocular, rarely 3–5-locular (locules lost by suppression or compression), superior; ovules usually 2, pendulous, anatropous; style simple and straight or absent; stigmas (rarely 2–)3–5-lobed, often small Fruit a drupe, unilocular, 1-seeded; endocarp woody Inflorescence terminal, axillary or supraxillary; flowers bisexual (hermaphrodite), sometimes unisexual by abortion, regular, usually paniculate Petals 4–5, free or united, valvate Calyx small, 4–5-lobed, usually imbricate, rarely valvate, sometimes absent Leaves mostly alternate, sometimes opposite, coriaceous, glabrous to densely pilose, exstipulate Stamens equal in number to and alternate with petals; anthers dithecous (rarely 4-lobed), with longitudinal dehiscence; filaments often tomentose, free or adnate to petals (e.g. in Leptaulus) Disk rarely present Ovary unilocular, rarely 3–5-locular (locules lost by suppression or compression), superior; ovules usually 2, pendulous, anatropous; style simple and straight or absent; stigmas (rarely 2–)3–5-lobed, often small Fruit a drupe, unilocular, 1-seeded; endocarp woody Inflorescence terminal, axillary or supraxillary; flowers bisexual (hermaphrodite), sometimes unisexual by abortion, regular, usually paniculate Petals 4–5, free or united, valvate Calyx small, 4–5-lobed, usually imbricate, rarely valvate, sometimes absent