Shrubs or trees, dioecious. Branchlets terete. Leaves persistent, alternate or fascicled; stipules absent; petiole present or absent; blade margins entire; venation pinnate. Inflorescences axillary, fascicles or flowers solitary. Flowers unisexual, radially symmetric; perianth and androecium hypogynous; hypanthium absent; sepals 4, distinct; petals 4, greenish white to white; nectary rudimentary or absent. Staminate flowers: stamens 4; staminodes 0; pistillode present. Pistillate flowers: staminodes 0; pistil 2-carpellate; ovary superior, 2-locular, placentation axile; style 1; stigmas 2; ovule 1 per locule. Fruits drupes, 2-locular, subglobose, apex not beaked. Seeds 1 per locule, oblong, not winged; aril absent.

Distribution

sc, se United States, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species 5–15 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Schaefferia cuneifolia, Schaefferia frutescens

Key

1	Shrubs, 1–2 m; twigs ± spinescent; short shoots present; leaves 5–23 × 2–15 mm; fruiting pedicels 0–2 mm.	Schaefferia cuneifolia
1	Trees, to 12 m; twigs not spinescent; short shoots absent; leaves 40–60 × 15–30 mm; fruiting pedicels 4–6 mm.	Schaefferia frutescens