In Family Rosaceae there are 12 species from East and S.E. Asia.
One species is naturalised in Australia.
They are evergreen shrubs or small trees.
Most are 1 to 4 m high but some reach 8 m.
The simple leaves, on a petiole are alternately arranged.
The narrow stipules at the petiole base fall early.
Leaf edges can be smooth or have small to obvious sharp teeth.
Teeth can be on the whole edge or just at the tip.
Branched or unbranched inflorescences are at the end of the branches.
Flowers have a hypanthium of fused sepal petal and filament bases.
On the rim are 5 green or red sepal lobes and 5 white or pink petal lobes.
Also on the hypanthium rim are 15 to 20 stamens.
The inferior ovary consists of 2 or 3 carpels that are fused at the base.
Each locule has 2 ovules.
The 2 or 3 styles are also fused at the base.
Fruit are a pome – from a compound inferior ovary in a fleshy hypanthium.
They are almost spherical and mature from green to deep bluish or black.
They have a ring from where the sepals fell.
They have 1 or 2 seeds.
J.F.
