Shrubs or small trees, tanniferous.. producing ellagic acid. Leaves petioled,
alternate, stipulate, pinnate; leaflets coarsely serrate, often with winged rachis.
Flowers irregular, dense, in racemes, bracteate, perfect or less often unisexual,
hypogynous. Sepals 5 or 4 by fusion of 2, unequal, imbricate, free or connate
below, one of them spurred or saccate-gibbous. Petals 4 - 5, free, brown-red,
narrow, long clawed, fifth petal very small or wanting. Nectary disc wen
developed, unilateral, extrastaminal. Stamens 4 or 5, alternate with petals;
filaments distinct or basally connate; anthers 2-locular, opening lengthwise;
pollen grains tricolporate. Ovary of 4, less commonly 5 carpels, united to form
a compound, plurilocular ovary; style truncate or apically dentate; ovules 2 -
5 or solitary in each locule, on axile placenta. Fruit capsular, loculicidal, often
longitudinally sulcate and sometimes apically lobed. Seeds 1 or 2 in each locule,
with hard oily and sometimes with starchy endosperm and straight embryo.
Tropical and subtropical Africa; 2 genera and 15 species, 1 genus and 1 species in India.
Notes. In warm regions some species are grown for ornamental purpose.
Tropical and subtropical Africa; 2 genera and 15 species, 1 genus and 1 species in India.
Notes. In warm regions some species are grown for ornamental purpose.
