Trigoniaceae

Abstract

Trees, shrubs, scandent shrubs or lianas, glabrous or with indumentum of unicellular hairs, sometimes with glands. Leaves opposite or alternate, simple, entire, venation pinnate; stipules simple or bifid, interpetiolar when leaves opposite, often conspicuous, mostly caducous. Inflorescences panicles, racemes, cymes, or thyrses. Flowers hermaphrodite, small, papilionaceous, obliquely zygomorphic, 5-merous; sepals ± unequal, imbricate, connate at base or partly distinct; petals distinct, the posterior forming a saccate or spurred standard; stamens and staminodes connate basally into a tube that is more strongly developed on the anterior part of the flower by the 4–8 fertile stamens, staminodes 0 or up to 6 in the posterior part, anthers opening longitudinally; nectary glands 1–2(–4) opposite to the standard petal or 0; ovary superior or partly inferior, 3(4)-locular, rarely unilocular, pubescent, each locule with 1–numerous ovules; style simple. Fruits septicidal capsules or indehiscent 3(4)-winged, sometimes easily splitting into 1-winged samaras. Seeds hairy or not, embryo straight, endosperm + or 0.