Description:

• Trees, small or large
• Leaves opposite, entire, minutely and sparsely lepidote, at least on lower surface, with acarodomatia in axils of veins on lower surface
• Inflorescence axillary on new or 1-year old twigs; cymes occasionally sessile, more often paniculate and laxly flowered, occasionally peduncles and pedicels reduced and flowers appearing glomerate
• Calyx deeply 4-lobed, sometimes to base
• Corolla with short tube or 4-lobed to base; lobes with margins deeply infolded, white, often tinged pink, or cream
• Stamens 2(4); anthers basifixed
• Ovary subglobose; stigma subcapitate, obscurely bilobed; ovules collateral
• Fruit a drupe with thin, fleshy layer; endocarp rather hard, with large seed cavity
• Seeds usually solitary, without endosperm
• x = 23

Nomenclature:

• Chionanthus L.
  • Linnaeus: 8 (1753)
  • Kupicha: 320 (1983)
• Linociera Sw.
  • Swartz: 784 (1791)
  • Verdoorn: 119 (1963)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 120, in tropics and subtropics of America, Africa and Asia, and also on certain islands in these regions
• Southern Africa: Species 3, widespread except in Namibia, Botswana, Free State, Lesotho and Northern Cape