Micromelum Blume, nom. cons.

Shrubs or trees, unarmed, evergreen. Leaves alternate, imparipinnate, usually with more than 5 (up to 23) leaflets or rarely 3- or 1-foliolate (as in M. diversifolium). Inflorescences terminal, corymbose panicles, often very large and flat topped. Flowers small or medium to large. Calyx urceolate; sepals 5, small deltate. Petals 5, valvate on slightly overlapping in buds. Stamens 10, alternately longer and shorter; anthers sub-basifixed. Ovary 3 - 5-locular, sometimes also 6- or even 2-locular, radial walls of ovary twisted, ovules 2 in each locule, superimposed; style slender, cylindric, articulate with ovary; stigma capitate, broader than style. Disk annular, fleshy, glabrous. Fruits baccate, semidry, subglobose or broadly ellipsoid, pericarp thin, glandular, reddish or orange coloured when ripe; seeds 2 or 3, rarely only one, oblong, slightly compressed, cotyledons green, thin, contortuplicate.

Tropical evergreen forests of Sri Lanka, India, S. China, Myanmar, throughout Malesia, S.E. Asia, E. Australia, New Caledonia, extending farther east towards Fiji, Tonga and Samoa; ca 7 species, one in India.

List of Lower Taxa