Glabrous trees or shrubs; branches smooth, terete. Leaves opposite,
imparipinnate, stipulate; leaflets opposite, serrate or serrulate, herbacious to
subcoriaceous. Flowers regular, bisexual, bracteate, up to 0.5 cm across, in
axillary and terminal, mostly glabrous panicles. Sepals S, free, persistent, fleshy,
ciliate at margins; outer ones somewhat wider, imbricate. Petals 5, free,
membranous, imbricate, equal sized, longer than the sepals, usually ciliate
at margin, caducous. Disc lobed or crenulate. Stamens 5, episepalous, equal
sized, glabrous, inserted outside but near the disc; anthers rounded, ovate or
apiculate. Ovary sessile, broadly ovoid, 3-lobed, 3-loculed; ovules 2, collateral, or several in 2 vertical rows. Fruit a subglobose berry. Seeds angular, shining,
dark brown.
Central and tropical S. America and Sri Lanka to S.E.
Asia; ca 40 species,
4 in India.
Literature.
MERRIL, E.D. & L.M. PERRY (1941) Observations on the old world species
of Turpinia Venetant. J. Arn. Arb. 22: 543 - 555
KEY TO THE SPECIES
1a. Pericarp about 1 mm in thickness, scarcely fleshy; ovules 2 in each locule; fruit 8 - 10 mm in diam.
2
b. Pericarp 5 mm thick, somewhat fleshy; ovules 6 in each
locule; fruit 2.5 cm in diam.