Family Rubiaceae. Order Rubiales.

Small trees to shrubs. Buttresses absent. Spines absent. Stilt roots absent. Bark not peeling in strips. Exudate absent. Terminal buds not enclosed by leaves.



Inflorescences present; axillary; the flowers from a single point on the stem, or on an unbranched axis, or on a branched axis; specialized inflorescence units absent; numerous and persistent inflorescence bracts absent. Flowers bisexual; stalked; about 0.5 cm long or across; round; with male or female parts not raised on a column. Hypanthium absent. Disk present. Perianth present; with distinct calyx and corolla whorls. Sepals 3-5; partially joined; not persistent in fruit; not growing any further after flowering. Epicalyx absent. Petals present; 3-8; all joined; not fleshy; deciduous; not stalked; entire. Stamens 3-7; filaments present; free of each other; joined to the perianth; all equal in size; isomerous; opposite the sepals (when isomerous). Anthers 2 loculed; attached along the side; not awned; dehiscing by long slits. Ovary inferior. Carpels joined; 3-9. Locules 3-9. Styles solitary. Stigmas 3-9 lobed; not distinctive. Fruit drupaceous; fleshy; not multiple; not splitting; not enclosed in, or sitting on, fleshy perianth parts; wingless. Seeds 3 per fruit, or 9 per fruit; less than 5 mm; wingless; uniform in cross-section; aril absent; endospermic.

Leaves usually densely hairy and arranged to as to appear already pressed. Taxon images: lasianth.gif
