Cleyera Thunb., nom. cons.

Evergreen trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, petiolate, entire or serrulate. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, solitary or in fascicles, actinomorphic, bracteate, bracteoles minute or absent. Sepals 5, imbricate. Petals 5, free or connate at base, imbricate, coriaceous, reflexed at anthesis. Stamens many, inserted on the base of petals; anthers pilose. Ovary 2 - 3-loculed, ovules few to many on axile placentation; styles often elongate, shortly 2 - 3-fid. Berries spherical to ovoid-oblong, fleshy. Seeds few with fleshy endosperm.

In C. & S. America and Tropical Asia, ca 24 species; one in India.

Literature. KOBUSKI, C.E. (1937). Studies in Theaceae II. Cleyera. J. Arn. Arb. 18: 118 -129.

List of Lower Taxa