Drypetes
Trees or shrubs, dioecious, or with a mixture or bisexual and unisexual flowers, or rarely monoecious. Buds sometimes with bud-scales. Exudate absent*. Unarmed* (although leaves sometime spiny). Indumentum present, hairs simple. Stipules free*, simple, unlobed, entire *, not spine-like*, not leaf-like*, without glands. Leaves distributed evenly along stem, alternate or rarely opposite to almost so, simple, unlobed, base usually asymmetrical, less often symmetrical; margin entire to toothed (teeth sometimes spiny), blade not pellucid–punctate, leaf glands absent; venation pinnate; domatia absent*; stipel-like structures absent*. Petiole present, without swellings or bends at base or apex*, without glands. Inflorescence without axis, axillary or cauline (below the leaves, or borne directly on the main branches or trunk), flowers in fascicles; bracts not leaf-like*, green; pedicels not articulated*. Male flowers: pedicels usually present, less often absent (flowers sessile); sepals 4–7, imbricate, free, greenish; petals 0; disc central, inside the staminal whorl (intrastaminal), cushion- , plate- shaped or cup-like, rim entire or lobed, lobes or folds sometimes enfolding the stamens; stamens 3–20(–50), free; anther without conspicuous modification, thecae introrse in bud, rarely extrorse or latrorse; pistillode minute or absent. Female flowers: pedicels usually present, less often absent (flowers sessile); sepals 4–7, imbricate, free, greenish, falling early; petals 0; disc surrounding the ovary, disc surrounding the ovary, annular or cup-like, rarely disc 0; ovary locules 1 – 5 or 6 (rarely), ovules per locule 2; styles usually 0, less often 1–4*, free*, or partially fused* to completely fused (stigmas free), styles entire, stigmas thick, flat, dilated, shortly 2-lobed or –branched, surface smooth*; staminodes absent. Fruit indehiscent, unsculptured*, greenish to brown; seed with or without a thinly fleshy outer layer (sarcotesta), caruncle absent, embryo not minute, narrow, cotyledons leaf–like.
An asterisk * indicates a state has been assumed but not yet confirmed.
About 230 spp.
Distribution: Mexico; Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama; Caribbean: Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Puerto Rico or Windward Is.; Southern America: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil.
Also widely distributed in Africa, Temperate and Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific Is, and Southeastern U.S.A.