Trees. Leaves entire (in ours); petiole swollen at the base and at the apex.
Flowers unisexual, borne on fascicles on older wood. Calyx 4-5-lobed. Petals 0. Male flowers: anthers borne in 1(-2) rings on an androphore. Female flowers: carpels 4-5, coherent.
Fruit consisting of woody carpels which split longitudinally. Worldwide: c. 125 species in tropical Africa Zimbabwe: 1 taxon. |