Taxandria

Shrubs or trees; bark persistent or shedding and papery; young stems with simple hairs. Leaves alternate. Inflorescence of head-like clusters, axillary or terminal on short axillary shoots. Flowers bisexual, sessile, subtended by a bract and 2 bracteoles; hypanthium obconic; sepals 5, persistent in fruit; petals 5, circular, distinctly clawed, somewhat persistent; stamens 10, one opposite each sepal and petal, shorter than petals, unequal, anthers attached near top, with a gland neat the connective, versatile, opening by slits. Fruit a loculicidal capsule, 3-valved; seeds usually 1 per cell, ovate-elliptic, minutely papillose, minutely winged at apex.