Corolla of 4 petals, irregular, petals in one direction, 
bearing the stamens in the hollow tops. Anthers im- 
merged in the hollow of the petals. Hypogynous glandule 
(small gland below the pistil) solitary, halved. Germen 
stalked, two-seeded. Stigma somewhat slanted, sharpening 
mucronately from a widened base. Follicle (indehiscent 
seedvessel) one-celled, woody, pseudo-bivalve, with a cell 
deviating from the centre. Seeds with the wing of the sum- 
mit longer than the nucleus or body. The species consist 
of rigid shrubs, or sometimes middle-sized trees, with the 
hairs, when there are any, fixed down at the middle. Leaves 
scattered, of different shapes in different species, sometimes 
of different shapes in the same plant. Flower fascicles or 
racemelets usually axillary, in the greater part of the species 
enveloped in an involucre of imbricated scariose caducous 
scales, sometimes enclosing likewise the rudiments of the 
future branches and consequently rather to be regarded 
as the buds, but which serve to distinguish the genus very 
securely (the extratropical part of it at least) from the con- 
fining genera, while at certain points other marks are found 
to be less steadfast. Pedicles coloured, in pairs, where the 
flowers are in racemes, with a single bracte to each pair. 
Flowers small, white, or cream-coloured. Pistil quite 
smooth, style subdeciduous. Follicle with thickened walls. 
Seeds black, seldom ash-coloured. 
The present species is characterized by quite entire 
smooth leaves; those on the branches being cylindrical, 
those lower down flat; by quite smooth corollas and pe- 
duncles and double-spurred umbellate capsules many times 
shorter than the leaves. 
