Alzateaceae

Abstract

Small evergreen trees or shrubs, sometimes hemiepiphytic; young stems and axes of the in florescence quadrangulate. Leaves opposite or whorled, simple, entire; blades oblong-obovate or elliptical, coriaceous, glabrous, venation brochidodromous; stipules 2-a few. Inflorescences thyrsoidal, axillary at the ends of branches, 10-30-flowered; flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, barely hemi-epigynous, 5(6)-merous, apetalous or possibly petals rudimentary; floral tube campanulate; sepals valvate, thick, irregularly fleshy on the adaxial surface; stamens 5, fleshy, inserted below the sinus of adjacent sepals at the margin of a broad lobed nectary, filaments short with large cordate connective, the anthers dorsi fixed, introrse, the sporangia terminal; ovary superior, bilaterally compressed, bilocular; placentation parietal; ovules 40-60, horizontally imbricate in staggered vertical rows. Fruits bilaterally compressed dry capsules dehiscing loculicidally. Seeds flattened, oblong to lunate, thin, encircled by a fragile membranous wing; embryo central, straight; endosperm 0. n = 14.

Keywords

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