Voacanga

Shrubs or trees. Leaves opposite, relatively large, shortly petioled, penninerved; leaf bases united into a rim or short sheath; axillary glands present; stipules small, united in an interpetiolar rim or short sheath. Inflorescence terminal, frequently paired, corymbose or umbellate, rarely racemose. Flowers usually large and showy, white, yellow or greenish- to violet-brown, sometimes unpleasantly scented. Calyx tubular or subcampanulate, with a ring or zone of scattered glands within near base, early circumscissile at base and deciduous or more persistent; lobes shorter than tube, obtuse, imbricate. Corolla salver-shaped, often fleshy; tube cylindric, constricted below middle and at mouth with callus thickenings round the often very narrow orifices and with prominent filamental ridges within; lobes overlapping to the left, ovate, unequal at base. Stamens sessile; anthers 4-locular, adnate by a broad base to corolla tube, ovate-lanceolate, deeply sagittate. Disc usually annular, fleshy, surrounding base of ovary or cupular and concealing ovary, rarely reduced to inconspicuous ring. Ovary of 2 free or rarely connate carpels; style columnar, thickened upwards, compressed; stigma subcapitate, 5-grooved, with a fleshy, wavy ring or frill at base; ovules many in each locule. Mericarps 2, baccate, globose or pear-shaped, with a sticky latex. Seeds many, embedded in fleshy pulp, ellipsoid, grooved ventrally; testa grooved or ruminate. x = 11.