Trees, shrubs or shrublets. Flowers solitary or in few-flowered cymes or fascicles, terminal or
extra-axillary. Bracteoles 0-2, persistent. Sepals 3, much shorter than the petals. Petals 6, in two whorls, free or connate at base. Stamens numerous, linear to linear-clavate. Carpels numerous, united in fruit. Fruit ovoid-spherical to cylindric, many-seeded. Seeds irregularly arranged in the fruit; aril like a caruncle. Derivation of name: latinised from a Taino name Worldwide: 137 species, mostly South American with a few (8) in Africa. Malawi: 1 taxon. The larvae of the following species of insect eat species of this genus: |
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