合柱金莲木属 he zhu jin lian mu shu

Sinia Diels.

Shrubs, rarely small trees or herbs, glabrous. Stipules 2, lacerate; leaf blade simple, margin frequently glandular serrate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, rarely 1-2-flowered. Sepals (4 or)5, margins sometimes with glandular hairs. Petals (4 or)5, contorted. Stamens 5, persistent; anthers longitudinally dehiscent or more rarely poricidal; staminodes in 1-3 whorls, spatulate to petaloid, sometimes fused in a tube. Ovary entire, (2 or)3-carpellate, 1-locular; ovules many, on parietal to basal placentas; style inserted at apex of ovary, persistent; stigma punctiform. Fruit a septicidal capsule with many small, alveolate seeds. Endosperm copious; embryo straight.

About 35 species: Neotropics, one species endemic in Africa, two species endemic in Malaysia; one species (endemic) in China.

Lower Taxon

• Sauvagesia rhodoleuca (Diels) M. C. E. Amaral