Scaphopetalum

Shrubs; young branches puberulous, later glabrous. Leaves alternate, simple, shortly petiolate, entire, elliptic, penninerved with one basal pair of nerves; stipules triangular to ensiform, subpersistent. Inflorescences few- to many-flowered axillary or sometimes cauline fascicles surrounded at base by pointed bracts; pedicels slender, articulated at base of flower; pointed bracteoles present on pedicel; bud spherical. Calyx coriaceous with sepals +/- completely fused, bursting irregularly into 2 or 3 valves. Petals 5, concave, hooded, striate outside with 7 longitudinal nerves. Staminal tube membranous, bell-shaped, 5-angular, +/- clearly divided at apex into 10 segments, 5 of which are sterile, reflexed and rounded, alternating with 5 fertile lobes opposite petals and each bearing 3 sessile, 2-thecate anthers. Ovary subcylindric, obscurely 5-lobed, 5-locular, pubescent; ovules in 1 or 2 rows on central placenta; style simple; stigma minute. Fruit an elliptic to subconical loculicidal capsule crowned by persistent calyx and opening by 5 undulate valves. Seeds +/- 2-4 per carpel, +/- ovoid, pubescent, partly covered by an irregularly dentate aril.