Penaeaceae

Abstract

Shrubs or shrublets (often ericoid), varying from procumbent to ascending or erect, sympodially branching at least in the adult stage; young branches glabrous, generally with 4 ridges ending in tooth- or peg-like processes on each side of the leaf bases. Leaves decussate, simple, entire (irregularly denticulate in Sonderothamnus), glabrous, linear to orbicular (subterete in Brachysiphon microphyllus), acuminate to retuse, sessile or shortly petiolate, more or less coriaceous and sclerophyllous; stipules rudimentary, more or less colleter-like. Inflorescences highly variable, indeterminate or determinate; terminal flowers preceded by two or more pairs of decussate bracts, the lateral flowers usually by transversal prophylls. Flowers sessile or pedicellate, bisexual, actinomorphic, 4-merous, obhaplostemonous, perigynos, apetalous; sepals free, petaloid, triangular to ovate, sometimes conspicuously carnose and reflexed at anthesis, simple-valvate or reduplicate-valvate (valvate with re flexed edges), persistent (together with hypanthium), inserted on the rim of a 5-45 mm long, campanulate or broadly to narrowly cylindrical hypanthium; colour of hypanthiumand calyx varying from white to yellow, pink, crimson or red; stamens as many as and alternating with sepals, free, inserted on the rim of the hypanthium, sometimes incurved in bud, basifixed, introrse, with longitudinal dehiscence; anthers bithecate, tetrasporangiate, with an expanded connective, sometimes versatile; thecae parallel or sometimes at an angle to each other; disc structures lacking but nectar secretion by epithelial and trichomatous glands; pistil 4-carpellate, syncarpous, superior, 4-locular with a single, terete, quadrangular or 4-winged style; stigma terminal, capitate, and more or less 4-lobed or the stigmatic areas subapical and restricted to the angles formed by 4 sterile, commissural lobes or wings; locules with 2 or 4 ovules; when 2, ovulesinsertedmoreorlessbasally and ascending; when 4, ovules insertion axile, 2 ascending and 2 pendant; or all 4 inserted more or less basally and ascending; ovules anatropous, bitegmic, crassinucellate. Fruit a loculicidal, smooth capsule; seeds ovoid, slightly compressed, dark brown to almost black when mature, with a glossy surface and a funicular, white elaiosome.