Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
Abstract
[Extract] Woody climbers and scramblers or vines; Australian species dioecious. Glands present in almost all organs, globular to lineate, pellucid, red or appearing black. Leaves distichous (not in Australia) or spirally arranged, petiolate; lamina glabrous, margin entire or crenate (not in Australia). Inflorescence axillary or terminal, racemose, paniculate or subumbellate, bracteate. Flowers pedicellate, 4 or 5-merous; calyx deeply-lobed, the lobes imbricate; petals greenish to white, free or slightly connate at base, imbricate or contorted, usually papillate on inner surface, glabrous on outside; stamens and staminodes inserted towards base of corolla, usually exserted in staminate flowers; anthers dorsifixed, longitudinally dehiscent, a cluster of large wart-like glands often present above point of attachment with the filament; ovary in male flowers minute, in female flowers globose to ovoid; ovules uniseriate, c. 4; style short, stigma broad, disc-like. Fruit a drupe, globose to subovoid, style persistent or scar present, black at maturity. Seed subglobular, endosperm usually ruminate, embryo transverse, cylindrical
