Shrubs or terrestrial root parasites, glabrous or all juvenile parts covered by conchiform
hairs. Leaves opposite, subopposite or alternate, sometimes in false whorls, petiolate, ellipticovate,
glabrous; venation curvipinnate. Inflorescences centripetal pseudoracemes or spikes;
flower buds ossiform, torpedo-shaped, clavate-conical or rounded, narrowly conical or pyriform.
Flowers bracteate, ebracteolate, actinomorphic, 4 - 6-merous, glabrous or with conchiform hairs,
each flower subtended by a navicular or cupular bract. Calyculus entire or lobed. Petals 4, free
or pseudo-sympetalous; lobes patent-reflexed. Stamens 4 - 6, erect, epipetalous; filaments flat,
terete or subterete; anthers ellipsoid or ovate-oblong, basifixed, isothecate or anisothecate,
elevatilobate with or without sterile apex. Ovary smooth or tubercled; style 4-gonous, articulate
or not; stigma capitate, conical or clavate. Fruits smooth or tuberculate. Endosperm horned or
hornless, mamillate or not mamillate.
Throughout S & SE. Asia and Africa, ca 25 species; 10 species in India.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
1a. Inflorescences centripetal pseudoracemose
2
b. Inflorescences spicate
6
2a. Flowers 2 or 3 per peduncle; flower buds torpedo-shaped; anthers isothecate
b. Flowers more than 10 per peduncle; flower buds ossiform or conical; anthers anisothecate
3
3a. Bracts sigmoid; fruits urceolate in the beginning or even at mature stage
4
b. Bracts ovate or ovate and cucullate; fruits ovoid or broadly elliptic
5
4a. Leaves with 6 or 7 pairs of lateral nerves; flower buds angular, narrowly conical; flowers
horizontal on stout racemes, 1.3 - 1.5 cm long; petals more than 1 cm long; ovary subglobose;
fruits smooth
b. Leaves with 3 or 4 pairs of lateral nerves; flower buds terete, ossiform; flowers geniculate, on
slender racemes, 6 - 7 mm long; petals less than 7 mm long; ovary urceolate; fruits sparsely
tubercled
b. Twigs cinnamomeous brown due to conchiform hairs when young; lenticels elliptic or circular;
flower buds clavate, conical; petals not inflated at base; style not articulated; fruits distinctly
tubercled; endosperm hornless, mamillate
b. Flower buds clavate-rounded; bracts ovate or suborbicular; anthers anisothecate; ovary
depressed-globose; fruits with depressed sides or urceolate; endosperm mamillate