Description:

• Small trees or shrubs; young growth densely greyish- or brownish-tomentose
• Leaves opposite, leathery, simple, coarsely toothed, prominently veined on lower surface, shiny dark green above; stipules 0
• Flowers bisexual, regular, arranged in panicles
• Calyx: lobes 4, triangular-ovate, persistent; tube ± 4-angled, twice as long as lobes
• Petals 4, free, valvate
• Stamens 4, alternating with petals and ± as long; anthers 2-thecous, dehiscing laterally
• Disc tumid, 4-angled, pubescent
• Ovary inferior, 4-locular; 1 anatropous, pendulous, unitegmic ovule in each locule; placentation usually axile; style 1, shorter than stamens; stigma 4-lobed
• Fruit a small, ± globose drupe crowned by calyx lobes, reticulately veined
• Seeds 1 per locule; endosperm copious; embryo small
• x = 13 (1 report)

Nomenclature:

• Cornaceae
  • Cannon: 635 (1978)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera ± 10, species ± 90; widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions
• Southern Africa: Genus 1, species 1

References:

• CANNON, J.F.M. 1978. Cornaceae. Flora zambesiaca 4

Resources:

• Cornaceae genus: Curtisia