Shrubs, glabrous throughout; young internodes winged or not. Leaves opposite, ellipticovate,
curvipinnate, leathery. Inflorescence a capitulum; peduncle subtended by poorly
developed bracts; inflorescence-axis decussately flattened; flower buds spathulate or clavateconical;
flowers inserted in hollows on short, stout rachis, subtended by one bract and 2
bracteoles, bisexual, actinomorphic, sympetalous, 6-merous; bracts and bracteoles free, large,
enclosing ovary. Calyculus tubular, entire or toothed. Petals 6, united; tube with angular
shoulders, narrow at base; lobes reflexed or coiled after anthesis. Stamens 6, erect or recurved;
filaments subterete or trigonous, subulate; anthers isothecate, elevatilobate, multilocellate or 4-
locellate with sterile apex. Ovary subglobose, smooth; style tetragonous; stigma subglobose.
Fruits ellipsoid or ovoid, urceolate, smooth. Endosperm with thickened pads, horned, not
mamillate.
Indo-Malesia: India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Java, Sumatra and Borneo, ca 11 species; 5 in
India.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
1a. Anther-thecae multilocellate
2
b. Anther-thecae quadrilocellate
3
2a. Young internodes not winged; peduncles 5 - 6 mm long; flower buds clavate-conical; flowers
1.5 - 2 cm long; calyculus distinctly toothed; corolla-lobes reflexed, less than 2 cm long; anther-
thecae with 8 - 10 vertically elongated locelli; endosperm without distinct neck
b. Young internodes winged; peduncles 10 - 12 mm long; flower buds spathulate; flowers 4.5 - 5.5
cm long; calyculus entire with undulate margin; corolla-lobes reflexed and coiled, more than 3
cm long; anther-thecae with 16 - 20 circular locelli; endosperm with distinct neck
b. Leaves not decurrent, coriaceous; peduncles subtended by 1 or 2 whorls of bracts; flower buds
slender, 2.5 - 3 cm long; calyculus entire; corolla-lobes thin, narrow; anthers as broad as
filaments, 3 - 4 mm long; endosperm hornless