Description:

• Shrubs or undershrubs, erect to decumbent, generally glabrous, of ericoid habit; young branches often with 4 distinct ridges ending on each side of the leaf base as a short tip
• Leaves opposite, entire, decussate, often imbricate, mostly sessile, often coriaceous; stipules small, sometimes glandular or absent
• Inflorescence mostly terminal, a panicle, thyrse or spike or of 1 terminal flower only; flowers subtended by 1, 2 or more pairs of leaf-like bracts and/or bracteoles
• Flowers bisexual, regular, apetalous, 4-merous, with a perianth tube (hypanthium)
• Perianth: tube cylindric to somewhat campanulate; lobes 4, equal, valvate or reduplicate-valvate in bud
• Stamens 4, arising in throat of perianth tube, alternating with its lobes; filaments short; anthers 2-thecous, with thick connective
• Ovary superior, 4-locular, with 2 or 4 basal, erect, or 2 erect and 2 pendulous ovules in each locule; style terete or with 4 wings or angles; stigma capitate and obscurely 4-lobed or of 4 cruciform lobes
• Fruit a 4-valved loculicidal capsule, often with valves awned with persistent base of style
• Seeds by abortion 1 or 2 in each locule; funicle and raphe separable from seed

Nomenclature:

• Penaeaceae
  • Stephens: 81 (1915)
  • Salter: 591 (1950)
  • Dahlgren: 3 (1967a)
  • Dahlgren: 69 (1967b)
  • Dahlgren & Van Wyk: 43 (1988)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Genera 7, species 23, endemic to S and SW Western Cape and S Eastern Cape

References:

• DAHLGREN, R. 1967a. Studies on Penaeaceae I. Systematics and gross morphology of the genus Stylapterus A.Juss. Opera Botanica 15
• DAHLGREN, R. 1967b. Studies on Penaeaceae IV. The genus Endonema. Botaniska Notiser 120
• DAHLGREN, R. & VAN WYK, A.E. 1988. Structures and relationships of families endemic to or centered in southern Africa. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 25
• SALTER, T.M. 1950. In R.S. Adamson & T.M. Salter, Flora of the Cape Peninsula. Juta, Cape Town
• STEPHENS, E.L. 1915. Penaeaceae. Flora capensis 5,2

Resources:

• Key to Penaeaceae genera

• Penaeaceae genera: