Shrubs or trees, evergreen or deciduous. Leaves usually borne towards ends of branches, alternate, simple; stipules absent; petiole present or absent; blade margins entire. Inflorescences terminal or axillary racemes, each flower in axil of caducous or persistent bract. Flowers bisexual; perianth and androecium hypogynous; sepals (4-)5(-8), connate at least proximally; petals (4-)5(-8), distinct; nectary disc present; stamens 5 or 10, outer (only) whorl antisepalous, distinct; pistils 1, 2-5-carpellate; ovary superior, 2-5-locular; placentation axile; ovules anatropous, unitegmic, tenuinucellate; styles 1, hollow; stigmas 2-5-lobed [unlobed]. Fruits berrylike or samaralike, dry, indehiscent. Seeds usually absent, sometimes 1 per locule, narrowly ovoid; seed coat absent; embryo straight; endosperm copious. Fls perfect, hypogynous, regular or nearly so, mostly 5-merous; sep imbricate, persistent; pet distinct or nearly so; stamens as many as and alternate with the pet, or twice as many; anthers opening by longitudinal slits or apical pores; pollen in monads; intrastaminal nectary- disk present; ovary superior, of 2–5 carpels, with as many locules; style short or nearly suppressed, shortly lobed or entire; ovules 1–3 per locule, pendulous from near the tip; fr indehiscent; seed-coat wanting; embryo slender, straight, with small, slightly expanded cotyledons, embedded in the copious endosperm; glabrous shrubs or small trees with alternate, simple, exstipulate, entire lvs and small fls in racemes. 3/14. SELECTED REFERENCES Schneider, E. L. and S. Carlquist. 2003. Unusual pit membrane remnants in perforation plates of Cyrillaceae. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 130: 225-230. Thomas, J. L. 1960. A monographic study of the Cyrillaceae. Contr. Gray Herb. 186: 1-114. Thomas, J. L. 1961. The genera of the Cyrillaceae and Clethraceae of the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 42: 96-106. Zhang, X. P. and A. A. Anderberg. 2002. Pollen morphology in the ericoid clade of the order Ericales, with special emphasis on Cyrillaceae. Grana 41: 201-215. SELECTED REFERENCES Schneider, E. L. and S. Carlquist. 2003. Unusual pit membrane remnants in perforation plates of Cyrillaceae. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 130: 225-230. Thomas, J. L. 1960. A monographic study of the Cyrillaceae. Contr. Gray Herb. 186: 1-114. Thomas, J. L. 1961. The genera of the Cyrillaceae and Clethraceae of the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 42: 96-106. Zhang, X. P. and A. A. Anderberg. 2002. Pollen morphology in the ericoid clade of the order Ericales, with special emphasis on Cyrillaceae. Grana 41: 201-215. Shrubs or trees, evergreen or deciduous. Leaves usually borne towards ends of branches, alternate, simple; stipules absent; petiole present or absent; blade margins entire. Inflorescences terminal or axillary racemes, each flower in axil of caducous or persistent bract. Flowers bisexual; perianth and androecium hypogynous; sepals (4-)5(-8), connate at least proximally; petals (4-)5(-8), distinct; nectary disc present; stamens 5 or 10, outer (only) whorl antisepalous, distinct; pistils 1, 2-5-carpellate; ovary superior, 2-5-locular; placentation axile; ovules anatropous, unitegmic, tenuinucellate; styles 1, hollow; stigmas 2-5-lobed [unlobed]. Fruits berrylike or samaralike, dry, indehiscent. Seeds usually absent, sometimes 1 per locule, narrowly ovoid; seed coat absent; embryo straight; endosperm copious. Fls perfect, hypogynous, regular or nearly so, mostly 5-merous; sep imbricate, persistent; pet distinct or nearly so; stamens as many as and alternate with the pet, or twice as many; anthers opening by longitudinal slits or apical pores; pollen in monads; intrastaminal nectary- disk present; ovary superior, of 2–5 carpels, with as many locules; style short or nearly suppressed, shortly lobed or entire; ovules 1–3 per locule, pendulous from near the tip; fr indehiscent; seed-coat wanting; embryo slender, straight, with small, slightly expanded cotyledons, embedded in the copious endosperm; glabrous shrubs or small trees with alternate, simple, exstipulate, entire lvs and small fls in racemes. 3/14.General Information
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Literature
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Flora of North America @ efloras.org
LiteratureNortheastern Flora
General Information
