genus descriptions: SSTAs

Trees, shrubs or undershrubs, sometimes polygamous. Leaves glabrous or with simple hairs. Flowers bisexual, or sometimes unisexual, solitary or in 2-several-flowered axillary or extra-axillary fascicles, leaf-opposed or supra-axillary; bracts and bracteoles present. Sepals 3, free or united at base, valvate or very slightly imbricate, much shorter than petals. Petals 6, free, valvate, in 2 equal or +/-unequal whorls. Stamens usually many, free or united at base, cuneate, with flat-topped or slightly convex connectives. Carpels many, free; ovules 1 basal or 2(-5) lateral; style nearly always absent; stigma subcapitate, globose or irregularly shaped. Monocarps few to many, globose to ovoid, indehiscent, mostly stipitate. Seeds horizontal.

Shrubs, small trees or climbing shrubs; branchlets black, glabrescent or with sparse simple hairs, rarely densely velvety but soon glabrous. Leaves : bases of petioles +/-prominent; blades oblong-ovate or obovate, acuminate at apex, cuneate at base, dark green and sometimes glossy above. Flowers bisexual, solitary or paired, terminal or axillary, stalked; bracteole small. Sepals 3, free or +/-connate, persistent in fruit. Petals 6, in 2 whorls, valvate or inner ones somewhat imbricate and slightly shorter than outer ones, remaining closed for long period. Stamens many; filaments not developed; connectives with obliquely capitate apex. Carpels 18-30, cylindric or oblong; ovules 1(2), near base. Monocarps +/-2-20, stipitate.

Small trees, much branched, evergreen, glabrous or with simple hairs; bark flaking; branches pliant, pendulous. Leaves petiolate, elliptic to oblong or oblanceolate. Flowers bisexual (rarely unisexual), solitary or paired, axillary, sometimes on old wood; buds conic; bracteole 1, usually caducous. Sepals 3, valvate, free, enclosing petals and with margins folded to form 3 +/-prominent longitudinal wings in bud, often densely brown-pubescent. Petals 6, in 2 whorls; inner whorl imbricate, expanding and spreading at anthesis, free, subequal; outer whorl usually slightly longer. Stamens many, linear, with thecae extrorse, and prolongations of connective +/-capitate. Carpels 3-10 or sometimes more numerous, free, cylindric or obconic, sometimes +/-angular, with many ovules in two rows; style very short or absent; stigma +/-expanded, bilobed or irregular; ripe carpels indehiscent, succulent (? or sometimes dry), ellipsoid to cylindric, shortly stipitate, many- to few-seeded. Seeds +/-horizontal; aril absent.

Shrubs or trees, not climbing, with simple hairs; monoecious or dioecious. Flowers solitary or in fascicles, axillary, sometimes on old wood, pedicellate; female larger than male; bracteoles 2, respectively basal and median, +/-persistent. Sepals 2, connate to form a bilobed or patelliform calyx, much shorter than petals in bud. Petals 4, in one whorl, valvate, expanding and spreading at anthesis, free or +/-connate, subequal, thick. Stamens very many, oblong to oblong-obovoid, with thecae extrorse; prolongation of connective absent or very short; filaments absent or very short. Carpels many, free, obovoid, pubescent, with many biseriate ovules; stigma sessile, cylindric or depressed-obconic; ripe carpels indehiscent, succulent, cylindric or ellipsoid to obovoid, frequently constricted, stipitate, several-seeded. Seeds horizontal; aril absent.