Maesaceae

Abstract

Small to medium-sized trees, shrubs or sometimes lianas with schizogenous cavities; indumentum of non-glandular, uniseriate trichomes and scales. Leaves simple, petiolate, exstipulate, distinctly alternate (generally not clustered), with prismatic crystal druses; margins entire or variously serrate or crenate. Inflorescences axillary racemes or compound racemes; pedicels subtended by a bract and bearing prophylls just below the calyx. Flowers (6)5–4-merous, bisexual or functionally female, if unisexual then plants polygamous or functionally dioecious; calyx lobes mostly broadly ovate, persistent; corolla white, yellow or pinkish, campanulate or sometimes urceolate, lobes broadly ovate to subrotund, quincuncial in bud; stamens homomerous, antepetalous, included or slightly exserted; filaments inserted on the corolla tube; anthers almost square, or somewhat shorter than wide, apically rounded or retuse, dorsifixed, introrsely dehiscent by longitudinal slits; ovary semi-inferior; style well demarcated; stigma truncate or capitate, entire or 2–5-lobed; placentation free central; ovules many, arranged in 1–5 whorls, not or only slightly immersed into the placenta. Fruit berrylike with a somewhat woody mesocarp, globular or ovoid, indehiscent. Seeds numerous, small, angular, dark brown; seed coat reticulate, two-layered, with rhomboid crystals; endosperm abundant with evenly thickened cell walls; embryo with short hypocotyl and short, narrow cotyledons. x = 10.