Sparrmanniaceae

Sparrmannia is named after Dr Anders Sparrmann (1748-1820), a Swedish traveler "a Linnaeus apostle", eccentric, and a member of Captain James Cook’s second expedition. Shrubs, trees and herbs, stem bark is fibrous and often mucilaginous, hairs usually stellate, other forms often present as well. Leaves simple, alternate, phyllotaxis spiral but leaves often appear to be in the one plane, blade margins often serrated. Inflorescence usually leaf-opposed, flowers 5-merous, petals usually clawed with a basal nectary, often yellow, stamens 2-locular. Ovary superior, 2-10 locules; fruit dry or fleshy. Once part of the Tiliaceae, most genera have now been transferred (26 genera). Readily distinguished from Byttneriaceae by stamens 15+ v. 5(-10), free to the base v. often united in a tube.