Flora of New Zealand Series

Unarmed, soft-wooded shrubs or small trees, sometimes herbs. Lvs alternate, entire or pinnately lobed, often large; base often cordate. Infl. racemose or cymose; cymes scorpioid. Calyx 5-toothed, sometimes deeply so, campanulate. Corolla regular, campanulate or rotate, yellowish to dull purplish, 5-lobed. Stamens 4-5, erect or bent, ± included; connective thickened conspicuously between anther lobes; anthers opening by apical pores or longitudinal slits. Stigma ± capitate, either little enlarged or large and forming a concave disc. Fr. a 2-celled berry, sometimes large. Seeds numerous, of moderate size.

c. 30 spp., tropical America, especially N. Andes and S. Brazil. Naturalised sp. 1.

Other Cyphomandra spp. have been introduced and are becoming widespread in cultivation.