Cochlospermaceae

Trees, shrubs, or herbs with orange or reddish juice. Leaves alternate, palmatilobed to palmately compound. Stipules deciduous. Inflorescence consisting of racemes or panicles. Flowers large, actinomorphic or slightly zygomorphic, hermaphrodite. Sepals 4—5, free, imbricate, deciduous. Petals 4—5, free, imbricate, deciduous. Stamens numerous; filaments free or connate at the base, equal or unequal; anthers 2-celled, opening by apical pores or slits. Ovary superior, 1-celled, 3—5-carpelled; style 1; stigma minute, 3—5-dentate. Ovules numerous on 3—5 parietal placentas; placentas often intruding and then the ovary falsely or basally 3—5-celled. Fruit a capsule, 3—5-valved. Seeds numerous, reniform or rarely globose, hairy or glabrous. Embryo curved. Endosperm copious, oily. About 25 species in 3 genera of tropical distribution, often in arid areas.