The World Flora Online

Arbrisseaux ou sous-arbrisseaux dioïques, ligneux, prostrés ou ± dressés et atteignant 2 m de haut, glabres, à odeur aromatique; rameaux opposés, à extrémités fines et quadrangulaires.'Feuilles'opposées, à stipules sétacées; limbe plissé en éventail à l'état sec, oblong à cunéiforme, crénelé à denté dans la partie supérieure, à cellules sécrétrices.'Inflorescences'en épis terminaux allongés.'Fleurs'opposées, sans calice ni corolle.'Fleurs'♂ : étamines 4 et libres ou 3-8 à filets partiellement réunis en une colonne centrale; filets filiformes; anthères basifixes, courtes et larges, à déhiscence longitudinale, à section en forme de x; connectif prolongé en une pointe surmontant l'anthère de 1/3; pollen en tétrade, à cuticule lisse.'Fleurs'♀ à 3-4 carpelles, soudés entre eux par l'angle interne, ovoïdes, recourbés vers l'extérieur; stigmate grand, oblong, spatulé, fortement papilleux; ovules nombreux, disposés sur 2 rangs, anatropes, à raphé ventral, placentation axillaire.'Fruits': capsules.'Graines à embryon très petit et albumen abondant.\n\t\t\tFamille comprenant 1 genre et 2 espèces, d'Afrique et de Madagascar; pour la Flore, 1 genre et 1 espèce.

Flowers sessile in terminal, erect, catkin-like inflorescences; perianth absent; bracts present; bracteoles present or absent Leaves decussate; leaf-lamina digitately nerved, plicate, articulate with the petiole; stipules paired, connate with the petiole, persistent Seeds numerous, small, pendulous; endosperm fleshy, copious; embryo minute Fruit a capsule, dehiscing by the adaxial sutures of the free apices of the carpels Female flowers: gynoecium of (2)3 or 4 carpels, (2)3- or 4-lobed and (2)3- or 4-locular; carpels ± free above, tapering into ± recurved styles; stigmas ± spathulate, oblong, papillose, lateral, facing inwards; ovules numerous, anatropous, axillary, 2-seriate; no staminodes present Male flowers: stamens 4 with filaments almost free or (3)4–5(?8) with filaments connate at the base into a central column, anthers basifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, their connective prolonged into a beak; pollen in tetrads; no rudimentary ovary present Dioecious, wholly glabrous, balsamic-resinous shrubs; branches opposite Leaves decussate; leaf-lamina digitately nerved, plicate, articulate with the petiole; stipules paired, connate with the petiole, persistent Seeds numerous, small, pendulous; endosperm fleshy, copious; embryo minute Fruit a capsule, dehiscing by the adaxial sutures of the free apices of the carpels Female flowers: gynoecium of (2)3 or 4 carpels, (2)3- or 4-lobed and (2)3- or 4-locular; carpels ± free above, tapering into ± recurved styles; stigmas ± spathulate, oblong, papillose, lateral, facing inwards; ovules numerous, anatropous, axillary, 2-seriate; no staminodes present Male flowers: stamens 4 with filaments almost free or (3)4–5(?8) with filaments connate at the base into a central column, anthers basifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, their connective prolonged into a beak; pollen in tetrads; no rudimentary ovary present Dioecious, wholly glabrous, balsamic-resinous shrubs; branches opposite

Seeds numerous, small, pendulous; endosperm copious; embryo minute Branches opposite Fruit capsular, dehiscing by adaxial sutures of the carpels Balsamic-resinous shrubs, glabrous, dioecious Flowers sessile, perianth absent; ? flowers: stamens either 4 with filaments almost free, or (3–)4–6(?–8) and filaments connate at base into a central column; anthers basifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits; connective prolonged into a beak; pollen in tetrads; ovary absent ? flowers: staminodes absent; carpels (2)3 or 4, (2–)3–4-lobed and (2–)3–4-locular, ± free above and tapering to±recurved styles; stigmas subspathulate, oblong, facing inwards; ovules numerous, anatropous, axillary, 2-seriate Leaves cuneate-flabelliform, decussate, digitately nerved, plicate, articulate with the petiole; stipules paired, connate with the petiole, persistent Inflorescences terminal erect racemes; bracts present; bracteoles present or absent Branches opposite Fruit capsular, dehiscing by adaxial sutures of the carpels Balsamic-resinous shrubs, glabrous, dioecious Flowers sessile, perianth absent; ? flowers: stamens either 4 with filaments almost free, or (3–)4–6(?–8) and filaments connate at base into a central column; anthers basifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits; connective prolonged into a beak; pollen in tetrads; ovary absent ? flowers: staminodes absent; carpels (2)3 or 4, (2–)3–4-lobed and (2–)3–4-locular, ± free above and tapering to±recurved styles; stigmas subspathulate, oblong, facing inwards; ovules numerous, anatropous, axillary, 2-seriate Leaves cuneate-flabelliform, decussate, digitately nerved, plicate, articulate with the petiole; stipules paired, connate with the petiole, persistent Inflorescences terminal erect racemes; bracts present; bracteoles present or absent