Description:

• Small trees or shrubs, aromatic, deciduous to semideciduous
• Leaves alternate, simple, entire, petiolate; stipules rudimentary
• Inflorescence a many-flowered, terminal panicle
• Flowers usually unisexual by abortion, regular, small, perigynous with the hypanthium cyathiform; creamy yellow, scented, nectariferous
• Calyx with (4)5 imbricate, persistent sepals
• Corolla with (4)5 free, imbricate petals, arising on inner rim of hypanthium and alternating with calyx lobes, conspicuously gland-dotted, fugacious
• Disc well developed and lining lower part of hypanthium, orange-brown
• Stamens (4)5-8(-19), free, exserted, outer ones opposite petals; anthers 2-locular
• Female flowers with (4)5-8(-10) staminodes
• Ovary superior, globose, 2(3)-locular; ovules numerous on an axile placenta; style short, inserted in a depression of the ovary apex, persistent; stigma capitate
• Fruit a small, loculicidal, 2(3)-valved capsule, partly included in persistent calyx, globose
• Seeds numerous, minute, crescent-shaped and variously compressed, slightly winged, brownish

Classification Notes:

• The family is sometimes included in Myrtaceae

Nomenclature:

• Heteropyxidaceae
  • Fernandes: 212 (1978)
  • Dahlgren & Van Wyk: 35 (1988)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genus 1, species 3, south central and southern Africa
• Southern Africa: Genus 1, species 3

References:

• 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
• FERNANDES, A. 1978. Heteropyxidaceae. Flora zambesiaca 4

Resources:

• Heteropyxidaceae genus: Heteropyxis