Sandwithia  

Trees, dioecious or monoecious. Exudate? Unarmed*. Indumentum present (at least on inflorescences), hairs simple*. Stipules free*, simple, unlobed, entire *, usually spine-like, not leaf-like*, without glands, persistent. Leaves crowded towards shoot tips, alternate, simple, unlobed, base symmetrical, margin entire, blade not pellucid-punctate, leaf glands absent; venation pinnate; domatia absent*; stipel-like structures absent*. Petiole present, with or without swellings or bends at base or apex, without glands. Inflorescence with or without axis, more or less terminal (also axillary? also cauline?), flowers in clusters (fascicles) or inflorescence raceme- or panicle-like; bracts sometimes falling early, or 0?; pedicels present. Male flowers: sepals (3?) –5, (calyx splitting irregularly into 3–5 1–2-lobed segments), valvate?, partially fused, greenish*; petals 3–5, imbricate, free, glabrous; disc glands 3–5, outside the staminal whorl (extrastaminal) or disc 0?; stamens > 20 (–30?), free, filaments short; anther with or without conspicuous modification; pistillode absent*. Female flowers: sepals 4 –5, free or partially fused, greenish*; petals 4–5, imbricate?, free, minute, glabrous or hairy, falling early?; disc surrounding the ovary, inconspicuous, annular; ovary locules 3, ovules per locule 1; styles 3, partially fused, 2-branched, each branch entire or 2-branched at apex (i.e. ultimate divisions per locule 2–4); staminodes absent*. Fruit dehiscent; seed with caruncle, with no other covering or membranous layer.

An asterisk * indicates a state has been assumed but not yet confirmed.

World Checklist: 2 spp.

The description of Sandwithia is unsatisfactory. It is drawn from three sources: Radcliffe Smith (2001); Lanjouw, J. (1932) Contributions to the flora of Tropical America: 11. Bull. Misc. Inform., Kew 1932: 184 – 187; Secco, R.S. (1988) Dialissepalia do gênero Sandwithia Lanj.: Uma novidade botânica do alto Rio Negro e da Venezuela. Bol. Mus. Paraense Emilio Goeldi, sér. Bot 4: 177–185. The description in Radcliffe-Smith is rather difficult to use as it is largely a comparison with two other genera. Secco has published a discussion of Sandwithia (Secco, R.S. (1987) Aspectos sistemáticos e evolutivos do gênero Sandwithia Lanj. (Euphorbiaceae) em relação as suas afinidades. Bol. Mus. Par. Emílio Goeldi, sér. Bot. 3(2): 157–181). [We are trying to obtain a copy.]