Trees or shrubs, glabrous or pubescent, hairs simple. Leaves opposite; blade venation brochidodromous. Inflorescences 1 or 3–7(–14)-flowered, axillary, solitary flowers or dichasia. Flowers 4- or 5-merous, sessile (terminal flowers) or pedicellate (lateral flowers); hypanthium obconic, not prolonged beyond summit of ovary, base not attenuate; calyx lobes distinct, about equal or 1 smaller; petals white, convex; stamens 100–150[–300]; ovary 2- or 3-locular; ovules 8–20. Fruits berries, purplish black, globose or ovoid, crowned by persistent, erect calyx. Seeds 1–4, reniform; seed coat thin, papery; embryo subreniform to subglobose; cotyledons distinct, plano-convex; hypocotyl terete, ca. 1/2 as long as cotyledons; plumule usually evident in mature seeds, much shorter than hypocotyl.

Distribution

Florida, Mexico, West Indies, Bermuda, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species ca. 40 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Myrcianthes fragrans