Astrocasia  

Trees or shrubs, dioecious or monoecious. Exudate absent*. Unarmed*. Glabrous throughout. Stipules free*, simple, unlobed, entire *, not spine-like*, not leaf-like*, glands absent. Leaves distributed evenly along stem, deciduous, alternate, simple, peltate or not, unlobed, base symmetrical, margin entire, leaf blade not pellucid-punctate, leaf glands absent*; venation pinnate or leaf blade with 3 – 7 strong veins from base; domatia absent*; stipel-like appendages present or absent. Petiole present, without swellings or bends at base or apex*, glands absent. Inflorescence without axis, axillary, fasciculate-glomerulate; male fascicles several to many-flowered, female 1–3 flowered; bracts not leaf-like*, green; pedicels present (long in female flowers), not articulated*. Male flowers: very small, sepals 5, imbricate, partially fused, greenish; petals 5, almost twice as long as sepals, glabrous, greenish; disc surrounding the staminal whorl (extrastaminal), annular; stamens 3–5, completely fused into a slender column; anther with conspicuous modification, thecae extrorse in bud; pistillode present. Female flowers: sepals 5, imbricate, partially fused, caducous, greenish; petals 5, almost twice as long as sepals, glabrous, greenish; disc surrounding the ovary, annular; ovary locules 3–4, ovules per locule 2; styles 3*, free, 2-branched (i.e. each style divided, ultimate divisions per locule 2), styles or stigmas not flat*, surface smooth*; staminodes absent. Fruit dehiscent, wrinkled or strongly veined, greenish to brown; seed without appendage, covering or membranous layer*, not fleshy; embryo flat, not minute, cotyledons leaf-like.

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

World Checklist: 6 spp.