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Araliaceae
| The Araliaceae are mostly tropical shrubs and trees comprising about 70 genera and 700 species. The leaves are alternate or rarely opposite, palmately or pinnately compound or more than once compound or rarely simple; stipules are usually present and liguliform or adnate to the petiole and sheathing. The flowers are actinomorphic and most frequently unisexual, often in heads or umbels. The perianth is biseriate but the calyx is reduced to usually 5 minute teeth or a seamlike rim adnate to the ovary. The corolla consists mostly of 5-10 usually more or less distinct, usually valvate petals arising from a nectary disk on the summit of the ovary. The stamens are distinct, usually as many as and alternating with the petals. The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of 2-15 carpels, an equal number of styles or these connate into one style, and an inferior ovary with 2-15 locules, each bearing a single pendulous, axile ovule. An epigynous nectary disk is generally confluent with the enlarged stylar base or stylopodium. The fruit is a berry or drupe that sometimes splits into one-seeded segments. |
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