Trees or shrubs. Leaves imparipinnate or 2-imparipinnate. Flowers unisexual, zygomorphic. Sepals 5. Petals 4, clawed, with thread-like appendages at the transition between claw and limb. Stamens 7-8. Ovary 3-locular. Fruit an inflated capsule. Seeds with no arillode.Vollesen comments that "Phytogeographically this is a very interesting genus, which emphasises the relationship between the floras of NE and S Africa as well as between eastern and southern Africa and Madagascar". Derivation of name: from erythros - red and physa - bag (Gr), referring to the red, inflated fruits. Worldwide: 9 species: 1 Ethiopia, 2 southern Africa and 6 in Madagascar. Zimbabwe: 1 taxon. |
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