Trees or shrubs. Stipules obtuse or aristate. Leaves opposite; lamina glabrous but usually with domatia. Inflorescences axillary along main stems. Flowers bisexual, 5-8-merous, appearing before the leaves or with the leaves; solitary or in clusters of 2-4 per leaf axil. Calyx limb reduced to a rim; tube campanulate to turbinate. Corolla white or sometimes pink; tube cylindric or slightly funnel-shaped; lobes spreading. Ovary 2-locular; ovules 1 per loculus. Style exserted with divergent arms. Seeds 2 per fruit; each deeply grooved on the inner face. Worldwide: 90 species from tropical Africa to the Mascareignes Zambia: 1 taxon. The larvae of the following species of insect eat species of this genus: |