Monoecious (rarely dioecious) trees, shrubs or herbs. Indumentum simple and/or glandular. Stipules present. Leaves alternate, simple, generally palmately lobed. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, cymose, often in the form of a corymb. Male flowers: calyx usually with 5 imbricate lobes; petals 5; stamens 8 in 2 whorls of 5 and 3; pistillode 0. Female flowers: calyx and petals as for male; stigmas 3, usually 2-fid. Fruit usually splitting into 3 2-valved
cocci, rarely indehiscent. Worldwide: 175 species in tropical and warm regions Zimbabwe: 11 taxa. |
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