Guapira
Content
Description
Shrubs or trees; unarmed, glabrous or branchlets often rufous-puberulent. Leaves usually opposite; petiolate; blade entire, often coriaceous. Inflorescences lateral and/or terminal, pedunculate paniculate-corymbose cymes; flowers unisexual, dioecious, small, reddish, yellowish-green, or greenish-white; sessile or pedicellate; exinvolucrate, 2- or 3-bracteolate at base. Male perianth obconic-campanulate, limb 5-dentate, teeth short, induplicate-valvate; stamens 6-10, exserted, filaments short-connate at base, anthers oblong, staminodes present; rudimentary pistil often present. Female perianth tubular, limb narrow, shallowly 5-dentate, in bud rounded or obtuse at apex, rarely with staminodes; ovary elongate-ovoid, sessile, style usually short-exserted; stigma fimbriate or fimbriate-lacerate. Anthocarps drupaceous, red to black, exocarp fleshy, juicy, utricle elongate, papyraceous to coriaceous, striate; seed with hyaline testa adherent to pericarp, embryo straight, cotyledons broad, enclosing scanty endosperm, radicle short, inferior.