Flora of North America species comparison

ascending or spreading.

exfoliating in grayish strips or flakes.

spreading;

twigs with simple trichomes.

usually opposite, sometimes whorled [alternate], simple;

stipules absent;

petiole present or absent;

blade sometimes palmately lobed, margins entire, serrate, serrulate, dentate, denticulate, or crenate;

venation pinnate or acrodromous (Fendlera, Fendlerella, Philadelphus, Whipplea).

deciduous, opposite, sometimes clustered on short shoots;

petiole present, relatively short, those of opposite leaves connate-perfoliate;

blade elliptic to lanceolate, oblanceolate, obovate, or linear-oblong, ± coriaceous, margins entire, plane or revolute;

venation acrodromous, lateral veins sometimes obscure.

terminal or axillary, cymes, panicles, racemes, or corymbs, or flowers solitary.

terminal, compound cymes, (3–)5–26(–34)-flowered;

peduncle present.

present.

bisexual [unisexual], or sometimes marginal ones sterile, radially symmetric (bisexual ones) or bilaterally symmetric with enlarged petaloid sepals (sterile ones);

perianth and androecium nearly hypogynous, perigynous, or epigynous;

hypanthium completely adnate to ovary or adnate to ovary proximally, free distally;

sepals 4–12, distinct or connate basally;

petals 4–12, connate basally [entirely, then calyptrate];

nectary usually present, rarely absent;

stamens 8–200, usually distinct, sometimes connate proximally, free;

anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits;

pistil 1, 2–12-carpellate, ovary less than 1/2 inferior, 1/2 inferior, or completely inferior, 1–12-locular, placentation usually axile proximally, parietal distally, rarely strictly axile or parietal;

ovules 1–50 per locule, anatropous;

styles 1–12, distinct or connate proximally to most of length;

stigmas (1–)2–12.

bisexual;

perianth and androecium perigynous;

hypanthium completely adnate to ovary, turbinate-campanulate, not ribbed in fruit;

sepals persistent, (4–)5, erect, lanceolate, strigose;

petals (4–)5, valvate, spreading, white to yellowish, oblanceolate, base clawed, surfaces usually glabrous, sometimes sericeous-pilose abaxially;

stamens (8–)10;

filaments distinct, dorsiventrally flattened, gradually or abruptly tapered from base to tip, apex not 2-lobed;

anthers globose;

pistil (2–)3(–5)-carpellate, ovary slightly inferior, (2–)3(–5)-locular;

placentation axile;

styles persistent, (2–)3(–5), distinct.

capsules [berries], dehiscence septicidal, loculicidal, interstylar, or intercostal.

lanceoloid, cartilaginous, dehiscence basipetally septicidal to near base of fruit.

1–50 per locule, funicular appendage present (Fendlerella, Whipplea) or absent.

1 per locule, reddish brown, with a white cap, ellipsoid.