Small sized trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite or rarely alternate, pinnate
or trifoliolate, occasionally unifoliolate; stipules caducous or wanting. Flowers
in terminal or axillary panicles or sometimes racemes, regular, 5-merous, bisexual,
sometimes some or all unisexual and then plants dioecious. Calyx 5, free,
imbricate, rarely connate partly or for most of their length, petaloid. Petals
5, free, imbricate, inserted on or below hypogynous disc. Stamens 5, free, borne on or outside annular nectary-disc, alternating with petals; anthers 2-locular, opening lengthwise; pollen grains tricolporate. Disc sometimes poorly
developed or wanting. Ovary 2 - 3, rarely of 4 carpels, united to form a plurilocular
ovary; styles free or coherent above or fused into a single style; ovules 6 - 12, rarely 1 - 2, in two rows in each locule. Fruit a membranous inflated capsule,
opening at the tip; carpels seprate distally and opening along the ventral suture
or indehiscent and drupaceous or baccate or the fruit of distinct follicles. Seeds
few, truncate at the base; endosperm copious fleshy, oily.
Central and S. America, Europe, Asia; ca 5 genera and 60 species; 2 genera and 5 species in India.
Central and S. America, Europe, Asia; ca 5 genera and 60 species; 2 genera and 5 species in India.
KEY TO THE GENERA
| 1a. Fruits inflated, capsular | 1. Staphylea |
| b. Fruits fleshy berry, indehiscent | 2. Turpinia |
