Shrubs, small trees, scramblers or rarely large perennial herbs, stems unarmed or with rows of prickles, tendrils absent. Stipules sheathing petiole margins with conspicuous persistent or caducous stipular wings. Leaves 1-4 pinnate to tri-foliate or simple; leaflet margins crenate, serrate or dentate, teeth with small glandular apex; glands abaxially. Inflorescence paniculate, often corymbiform, terminal or axillary, erect or pendulous. Flowers 4 or 5-merous; calyx campanuoate, lobes triangular, tips glandular; petals valvate, reflexed at anthesis, basally connate; floral disk tubular. Fruit berries, rather dry, depressed, sub-globose, purple, black or orange. Seeds endotestal, endosperm ruminate with roughly 5 ingrowths.
Worldwide: Species 34, widespread in tropical and sub-tropical Asia to Australia, 2 species in Africa and Madagascar.
Malawi: 1 taxon. |
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