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Description:
Hermaphroditic, armed, glabrous or pubescent, terrestrial, evergreen shrubs or trees. Stems monocaulous to sparsely branched, pachycaulous. Leaves alternate, petiolate, the bases stipulate and adnate; blades simple, palmately lobed to occasionally palmately compound, leaves of some species webbed-digitate, especially at the juvenile stage, orbicular in outline, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, the margins serrate. Inflorescences terminal, erect or pendant, paniculate, the ultimate units umbellules; bracts triangular to lanceolate; pedicels usually long, thick to stout, unarticulated. Calyx nearly entire or with (5 or)6–12 obsolete teeth; petals (5 or)6–12, valvate, free or calyptrate; stamens (5 or)6–12; carpels (5 or)6–12, ovaries inferior to semi-inferior, styles connate into a single column; the disc convex. Fruits drupes, glabrous, globose or turbinate; endocarp crustaceous. Endosperm uniform.
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