Pandaceae

Abstract

Dioecious trees or shrubs; indumentum simple. Leaves alternate, simple, entire or dentate, pinnately veined, eglandular; stipules small, inserted at different levels on the axis, generally persistent. Inflorescences terminal or cauliflorous and pseudoracemose-thyrsiform, or axillary and fasciculate, or flowers solitary; bracts minute. Flowers unisexual; sepals 5, distinct or connate; petals 5, ± imbricate or valvate; disk 0; stamens 5–15, filaments distinct; anthers bilocular, usually introrse, dehiscing longitudinally; pollen grains prolate to oblate spheroidal, 3-colporate, inoperculate (operculate), sexine tectate-punctate or reticulate; pistillode columnar, non-lobate, sometimes peltate; gynoecium syncarpous; ovary 2–5-locular; ovules 1 per locule, pendulous, bitegmic, anatropous and epitropous or less often orthotropous; obturator 0; stylodia 2–5, short, or 0; stigmas 2–5, stigmatoid, sometimes branched. Fruits drupaceous, exocarp fleshy, hard, thick, sculpted; endocarp bony, entire to perforate or ruminate, containing (2)3(4) one-seeded locules, dehiscing by valves at germination. Seeds ecarunculate; embryo flattened, truncate apically, cordate basally; endosperm copious, oily. 2n = 30 (Microdesmis).