Description:
Hermaphroditic or andromonoecious, armed, pubescent, terrestrial, deciduous shrubs (rarely small trees), sometimes scandent. Stems branched, somewhat pachycaulous, often with both long and short shoots. Leaves alternate, petiolate, the bases not clasping, sometimes stipulate and adnate, or exstipulate; blades trifoliolate to palmately compound; leaflets 5–9, elliptic, ovate, lanceolate, oblong, obovate to oblanceolate, chartaceous to membranaceous, the margins serrulate, serrate or doubly so, to variously toothed. Inflorescences terminal, sometimes borne on short shoots, erect or pendant, simple umbellate, or paniculate to compound umbellate, the ultimate units umbellules or occasionally capitula; bracts triangular to lanceolate; pedicels long, slender to thick, or occasionally absent, unarticulated to slightly articulated. Calyx lobes 5, minutely toothed or forming a rim; petals 5 (rarely 4), valvate, free; stamens 5; carpels 2–5; ovary inferior, styles connate to free; the disc convex. Fruits drupes, glabrous, globose or laterally compressed-globose; endocarp crustaceous. Endosperm uniform. 2n = 48.
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