Photo: de Kok, R.

Subfamily

III. Subfam. Ajugoideae Kostel. (1834).

Subfam. Teucrioideae (Dumort.) Caruel (1884).

Description

Lianas and small trees; leaves opposite (rarely whorled), petiolate, ovate to obovate, entire, with flat, orbicular glands near base of abaxial surface; inflorescence lax, cymose, axillary (sometimes cauliflorous) or terminal, often paniculiform; calyx actinomorphic, leathery, not accrescent, truncate or 4-lobed in bud, usually remaining closed until torn irregularly into 2-4 deep lobes by corolla elongation (less frequently calyx opening normally, remaining shallowly 4-lobed or truncate); corolla white or creamy, fleshy or stiff, actinomorphic or nearly so, 4-lobed, lobes spreading, entire or notched; stamens 4, equal or subequal, exserted, filaments straight, thecae parallel, separate at dehiscence; pollen with supratectal spinules; ovary shallowly 4-lobed; stigma-lobes very short, equal; disc absent to well developed; fruit drupaceous, the lobes elongating greatly, eventually separating into 4 fleshy, 1-seeded mericarps (often fewer by abortion) with apex rounded, mericarp attachment-scar basal; endosperm absent. Three species of Eastern Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and northeastern Australia.

Distribution

Native to:

42 Malesia
43 Papuasia
50 Australia
60 Southwestern Pacific

Synonyms

Schizopremna Baill., Hist. Pl. 11: 119 (1892)., (1891).

Publication

Faradaya F. Muell., Fragm. 5: 21 (1865); de Kok & Mabberley, Blumea 44: 321-342 (1999).

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Species found in RBG Kew living collections