Gomortegaceae

Abstract

Aromatic evergreen tree with grey bark; younger branches quadrangular; ultimate branching dichasial. Indument of simple hairs. Leaves decussate, exstipulate, petiolate; blade obovate to lanceolate, coriaceous. Racemes terminal or axillary, bearing flowers in the axils of decussate, caducous bracts plus a terminal flower. Flowers epigynous, campanulate, subtended by two inconspicuous, caducous bracteoles; floral phyllotaxis intermediate between spiral and indistinctly trimerously whorled; perianth lobes ca.7–10, ovate to oblong, pubescent on both sides, intergrading with stamens; stamens 7–13, the outer 1–3 petaloid, often with imperfectly developed pollen sacs; the next 6–10 differentiated into filament and anther, basally flanked by two stalked glands; anthers bilocular, in outer stamens introrse, in middle stamens latrorse, dehiscing from the base upwards by two valves; innermost 1–3 stamens sterile. Ovary inferior, turbinate, syncarpous, (2−)3(−5)-locular; style very short, with 2(−3) stigmatic branches; ovule one per locule, pendulous from the apex. Fruit yellow, edible, drupaceous, 1(−3?)-locular, containing mostly only 1 seed with copious oily endosperm and a large embryo. 2n = 42.