Adenilema Blume.

Shrubs, rarely subshrubs, deciduous. Branchlets spreading, slender, terete or angled; buds ovoid, scales imbricate, apex acute. Leaves often 2-ranked; stipules conspicuous, deciduous; leaf blade simple, margin doubly serrate and usually 3-parted or shallowly 3–5(–7)-lobed. Inflorescence a terminal or sometimes axillary raceme or panicle; bracts linear-lanceolate to ovate, small, caducous. Flowers bisexual. Hypanthium campanulate, urceolate-campanulate, or cylindric. Sepals 5, erect, persistent in fruit and becoming densely pubescent and stipitate glandular abaxially. Petals white or pink-red, subequaling sepals. Stamens 10–30, irregularly 2-whorled on rim of hypanthium, not exceeding petals. Carpels 1(–5); ovary with 2–10 ovules; style erect. Follicles enclosed by persistent hypanthium, dehiscent along adaxial suture. Seeds several, obovoid; testa lustrous; caruncle convex.

About 17 species: C, E, and SE Asia; 15 species (12 endemic) in China.

(Authors: Gu Cuizhi (Ku Tsue-chih); Crinan Alexander)