Description:

• Subshrubs, shrubs or small trees; sometimes with unpleasant smell
• Leaves alternate, imparipinnate; rachis often winged; stipules connate, intrapetiolar, often large (combination of leaf characters unique for southern Africa)
• Flowers usually bisexual, rarely unisexual, irregular, resupinate: petiole twisting through 180° at flowering time; racemose
• Calyx of 5 unequal segments, imbricate, sometimes one spurred
• Petals 4 or 5, free, clawed, unequal, imbricate
• Disc unilateral, lining inside of calyx
• Stamens 4(5), arising within disc, free or variously connate, often declinate; anthers 2-thecous, opening lengthwise
• Ovary superior, 4- or 5-locular; style simple, central; stigma globose or simple; ovules erect or pendulous, anatropous, bitegmic, on axile placentas, 1-4 in each locule
• Fruit a papery or woody capsule, loculicidally 4- or 5-valved or opening only at apex
• Seeds subglobose; aril present (Bersama) or 0; embryo small, straight; endosperm copious

Nomenclature:

• Melianthaceae
  • Sonder: 366 (1860)
  • White: 544 (1966)
  • Merxmüller & Roessler: 1 (1968)
  • Dahlgren & Van Wyk: 48 (1988)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera 2, species ± 14, tropical and southern Africa
• Southern Africa: Genera 2, species ± 14

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
• MERXMÜLLER, H. & ROESSLER, H. 1968. Melianthaceae. Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 76
• SONDER, O.W. 1860. Meliantheae. Flora capensis 1
• WHITE, F. 1966. Melianthaceae. Flora zambesiaca 2

Resources:

• Key to Melianthaceae genera

• Melianthaceae genera: