rather longer than their filaments (figure 2). Number of sporangia is typically four in all the 
anthers, but there are several species where a trend to or actual suppression of upper sporangia of 
third whorl of stamens is present (figure 2). Staminodes are always smaller than stamens, their 
heads usually longer than their filaments. Very often the adaxial face of the staminode head 
appears wet or sticky, suggesting the secretion of some substances and the glandular condition of 
this tissue. The hypanthium seems to be receptacular in origin, as the shifted acropetal position of 
perianth elements, stamens and staminodes suggest. Pubescence of stamens, staminodes and 
inner surface of hypanthium is mostly sericeous, but sometimes, particularly on filaments or 
anthers can be sericeo-pilose. Frequently characteristic hairs are found scattered or concentrated 
and abundant on some parts of flowers (both surfaces of tepals, third whorl stamens, inner 
surface of hypanthium); these hairs are deep red in color, with thick walls and stiff appearence. 
They seem to be of the same nature as those hairs mentioned above that occur on young branches 
and leaves. Pistil is invariably glabrous, with the ovary mostly shorter than the style. There was 
no evidence of distylous plants in the studied species. 
Fruits are drupes, seated on the broadened (not conspicuously enlarged) hypanthium 
which in turn usually bears at its rim the (whole or partially) persistent tepals (figure 2). Fruit 
pedicel (flower pedicel) is always, at least distally, swollen and turbinate, and continuous with 
the hypanthium (figure 2); less frequently it is conspicuously elongated. Thickening of pedicel is 
a useful character to separate several species. In some taxa the pedicel is conspicuously swollen 
just distally, the proximal section of it remaining cylindrical (yet thicker). On the other hand, 
there are other species where the whole pedicel is evidently swollen and evenly turbinate from 
top to bottom, leaving no part of the pedicel identifiable as such a structure. Tepals commonly 
21 
