CLETHRACEAE
Morphological description
Woody, non-climbing.
Leaves
Leaves spiral, simple, usually crowded, stellate hairy, glandular dentate, penninerved, exstipulate.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence usually a terminal raceme.
Flowers
Flower usually 5-merous, petals more or less free; stamens twice the number of petals; ovary superior, 3-celled, ovules numerous, axillary.
Fruit
Fruit a capsule.
Different from: Ericaceae: petals fused, ovary 5-locular, hairs not stellate.
Distribution: The only genus, Clethra, occurs chiefly in the northern hemisphere. In Malesia 13 species, mainly primary and also secondary montane forest.
Notes: Potential ornamentals.
Literature: H. Sleumer, Fl. Males. I, 7 (1971) 139-150.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): glands on petiole or lamina, stellate hairs (p.p.), leaf with domatia, leaf margin dentate/ serrate (p.p.).
Illustrations: Fig. 29. Clethra pacyphylla Merr.: a. habit; b. flower: c. petal: d & e. stamens; f. LS of flowers: g. fruit; h.s eeds. H. Sleumer, Fl. Males. I, 7 (1971) 139-150.
Image in PhytoImages for Clethraceae