Glabrous trees or shrubs. Stipules rapidly caducous. Leaves opposite on flowering shoots, alternate on vegetative ones. Inflorescence pedunculate, regularly dichasial. Flowers bisexual. Sepals 5, united at base. Petals 5. Disk intrastaminal. Stamens 5. Ovary superior. Stigmas 3. Fruit a dehiscent capsule. Seeds 1-3,
winged. Derivation of name: latinised from the Arabic word khat, referring to the leaves of the species which are chewed as a stimulant Worldwide: 3 species from SW Arabia to South Africa Zimbabwe: 1 taxon. |