Trees. Young branches tomentose, bearing simple, stellate and branched hairs, becoming glabrous. Stipules 0. Leaves opposite, simple, dotted with translucent glands. Inflorescence a terminal panicle. Flowers bisexual. Sepals 5, ovate, short. Petals 5. Stamens 5, borne on a disk, alternating with 5 prominent petaloid staminodes. Ovary borne on an elongate gynophore, warty-glandular, 5-lobed and 5-locular. Fruit a spherical, woody and warty capsule. Seeds angular, black, shiny. Derivation of name: beautiful tree Worldwide: 2 species in East Africa, one extending southwards to the Cape Zimbabwe: 1 taxon. |
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