1 | Stamens 10-∞. Carpels (3-)5-10(-15), free. Fruits 1-5, 1-seeded drupes on a swollen torus. Leaves distichous. |
1' | Stamens 5. Carpels 2-5, fused. Fruit a more-seeded berry or capsule; torus not distinctly enlarged in fruit. Leaves alternate, not distichous. |
2 | Anthers opening with 2 apical pores. Stipules intrapetiolarly united. Inflorescences with (1-)3-∞, ± remote flowers, usually thyrsoid, sometimes simple cymes. |
2' | Anthers opening with 2 longitudinal slits. Stipules free. Inflorescences of umbelloid appearance with ∞ flowers in conferted, cymose clusters of 3 or more. |
3 | Stamens 12-∞; ovaries (3-)5-10(-15); embryo straight. Leaves without an intra-marginal nerve. |
3' | Stamens 10; ovaries 5; embryo curved. Leaves with a distinct intra-marginal nerve. |
4 | Ovary 5-carpelled,5-celled. Fruit a berry. Anthers opening by 1 apical pore. Leaf margin always stiffly, though sometimes very finely, denticulate. |
4' | Ovary 3-carpelled, 1-celled. Fruit a capsule. Anthers opening by 2 longitudinal slits. Leaf margin entire or (bi)serrulate. |
5 | Seeds not winged. Fruit opening with 3 valves. Inflorescences simple, or compound and (nearly) all branches shortened. Leaves evenly spaced. Leaf margin (bi)serrulate. Shrubs or undershrubs. |
5' | Seeds winged. Fruit opening with 3 longitudinal slits under the persistent style. Inflorescences much-branched panicles. Leaves distinctly tufted. Leaf margin entire, glandular dotted. Treelets, usually not exceeding 15m. |
6 | Inflorescences axillary; the rachis bearing a varying number of bracts, but only 1 flower. Undershrubs, up to 1 m, but often much smaller. |
6' | Inflorescences terminal (or pseudo-axillary by sympodial growth), many-flowered. Shrublets or shrubs, up to 7 m high. |
7 | Staminodes 10, in 1 whorl. Fruit subglobose. Leaf blades oblanceolate, up to 35 cm long. |
7' | Staminodes ∞, in more than 1 whorl, those of the inner whorl larger. Fruit fusiform. Leaf blades linear oblong, up to 17 cm long. |