Hydrangeaceae - Hydrangea family

Perennial shrubs, sub-shrubs, woody herbs or climbers; bark often peeling. Leaves simple, opposite or alternate, margins entire, toothed or rarely lobed; often deciduous. Petioles present; no stipules. Inflorescence cymes, heads, corymbs, panicles or racemes. Flowers usually bisexual; actinomorphic or sometimes zygomorphic. Sepals small usually fused, enlarged in sterile flowers. Petals usually fused; stamens 2-whorled to many, anthers usually basifixed. Ovary usually inferior; carpels fused. Fruit a septicidal or loculicidal capsule or berry.

Worldwide: 9 genera and 220 species from N temperate regions to Malesia.

Zimbabwe: 3 cultivated genera and 4 cultivated taxa.