Trees or shrubs, sometimes trailing or climbing; stems and branches glabrous, strigose or tomentose; pith of branches solid, hallow or chambered. Leaves alternate, simple, pinnately veined, glabrous or with simple hairs or scales, exstipulate. Flowers solitary or few to many in axillary cymes or panicles, bisexual or unisexual. Sepals 5, free or shortly connate at base, imbricate or subcontorted. Petals 5, free or shortly connate, imbricate or subcontorted. Stamens numerous; anthers versatile, dehiscing by longitudi-nal slits or apical pores. Ovary 5-many-loculed, 1 or more ovules in each locule; stlyes equal to number of locules, free or connate at base, usually persistent. Fruit a berry or capsule. Seeds small, numerous.
E. Asia to N. Australia and tropical America; ca 3 genera and 47 species; 2 genera and 10 species in India.
E. Asia to N. Australia and tropical America; ca 3 genera and 47 species; 2 genera and 10 species in India.
KEY TO THE GENERA
| 1a. Scrambling shrubs; petals free; anthers opening by longitudinal slits; styles numerous | 1. Actinidia |
| b. Trees or erect shrubs; petals shortly connate at base; anthers opening by apical pores; styles 5 | 2. Saurauia |
