Shrubs or small trees with usually entire, leathery leaves and terminal or axillary, fascicled, umbellate or corymbose inflorescence. Flowers 2-sexual, usually white or pink. Calyx (4-)5(-6)-lobed, lobes twisted clock-wise. Stamens 5, epipetalous, usually at the base of corolla; anthers subsessile or sessile, elongated, usually sagittated, acute to apiculate, 2-loculed. Ovary subglobose with few to may ovules, immersed in globose placentae; style simple with minute or punctiform stigma. Fruit globose or subglobose, usually spiculate with persistent style and bony or crustaceous endocarp, usually 1-seeded; seeds globose with horny endosperm.

A large genus of c. 400 species, mostly tropical Asian; represented here by 1 cultivated species.

Lower Taxon

• Ardisia solanacea Roxb.

Related Synonym(s):

• Ardisia elliptica auct. non Thunb.: Bedd. = Ardisia solanacea Roxb.
• Ardisia humilis auct. non Vahl.: Clarke = Ardisia solanacea Roxb.