The World Flora Online

SELECTED REFERENCE Bayer, C., M. W. Chase, and M. F. Fay. 1998. Muntingiaceae, a new family of dicotyledons with malvalean affinities. Taxon 47: 37–42.

Shrubs or trees, to 12 m. Leaves alternate (distichous), petiolate, stipitate; stipules subulate or filiform [absent or peltate discs]; blade palmately veined, seldom lobed, base often asymmetric, margins serrate, surfaces hairy, hairs usually mixed: unicellular and multicellular, simple with some setiform and some glandular, branched, and stellate, often ± tangled, forming tomentum. Inflorescences: flowers solitary or in clusters of 2–3+, usually supra-axillary; involucel absent [bracteoles ca. 15, filiform]. Flowers: sepals caducous [persistent], (4–)5(–7), valvate, basally distinct or weakly connate; petals caducous, (4–)5(–7), distinct; nectaries absent; stamens 10–75+, filaments distinct or bases connate; ovary superior [inferior], 5–7-carpellate; style 1 [0]; stigmas 5–7, ± decurrent. Fruits baccate, ± spheric. Seeds [25–]100–200+.

Stamens numerous with filiform filaments, free or nearly so; anthers of 2 thecae, sometimes versatile, fixed at or near the base of the connective, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, sometimes only apically Ovary superior to inferior, syncarpous, 5–many locular but sometimes unilocular at apex; placentae (where known) lobed, pendulous with numerous anatropous ovules; style thick, or sometimes ± lacking; stigma thick, lobed-sulcate Fruit a berry with numerous small seeds Leaves alternate, distichous, petiolate, cordate at the base, palmately nerved, serrate; stipules (where known) filiform or leafy and peltate Inflorescences supra-axillary with 1–few pedicellate usually hermaphrodite flowers in clusters Sepals (4–)5(–7), valvate, with ± spreading tips, joined at base to form a saucer-shaped or cupular tube Petals (4–)5(–7), free, imbricate and ± crumpled in bud, often exceeding the calyx, thin, falling Trees or shrubs with indumentum of stellate, long unbranched and glandular hairs Ovary superior to inferior, syncarpous, 5–many locular but sometimes unilocular at apex; placentae (where known) lobed, pendulous with numerous anatropous ovules; style thick, or sometimes ± lacking; stigma thick, lobed-sulcate Fruit a berry with numerous small seeds Leaves alternate, distichous, petiolate, cordate at the base, palmately nerved, serrate; stipules (where known) filiform or leafy and peltate Inflorescences supra-axillary with 1–few pedicellate usually hermaphrodite flowers in clusters Sepals (4–)5(–7), valvate, with ± spreading tips, joined at base to form a saucer-shaped or cupular tube Petals (4–)5(–7), free, imbricate and ± crumpled in bud, often exceeding the calyx, thin, falling Trees or shrubs with indumentum of stellate, long unbranched and glandular hairs