THYMELAEACEAE

CVII. THYMELAEACEAE View in CoL 2

Small shrubs, rarely herbs, with simple, entire, usually alternate, exstipulate leaves. Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, regular, 4-merous, usually in small heads or clusters, rarely in racemes or panicles. Sepals often petaloid, arising from the rim of a tubular, campanulate or urceolate hypanthium (‘calyx-tube’ or ‘recep­ tacle’ of many authors), usually similar in colour and texture to the sepals. Petals absent in European genera. Stamens 8, inserted in 2 whorls on the wall of the hypanthium; filaments short. Ovary superior, at the base of the hypanthium but free from it, with a single pendent ovule; style terminal or somewhat lateral. Fruit a nut or drupe.

1 Hypanthium articulated near the middle, the lower half persistent in fruit, the upper half, with the sepals, deciduous

3. Diarthron 1 Hypanthium not articulated, wholly persistent or wholly deciduous

2 Exocarp succulent, rarely coriaceous; fruit exposed when mature; leaves rarely less than 12 mm; flower usually fragrant 1. Daphne 2 Exocarp thin and dry; mature fruit usually enclosed in the persistent hypanthium; leaves rarely more than 12 mm; flowers scarcely fragrant 2. Thymelaea