Description: Trees, hairy or glabrous, polygamous; branchlets usually with lenticels.
Leaves alternate, usually paripinnate; leaflets opposite or alternate, margins entire.
Inflorescences axillary panicles. Flowers often slightly zygomorphic, unisexual and bisexual, white. Calyx shortly cupular with 5 lobes or lobes ± free. Petals 4 or 5, usually reduced; scales hairy, usually crested. Disc incomplete, glabrous. Stamens 6–10; filaments usually hairy. Ovary 3-locular, 1 ovule per loculus.
Fruit a capsule, subglobose, depressed-globose to transversely ellipsoid, 2- or 3-lobed or unlobed; seeds 1 per lobe, subglobose, ± compressed; aril fleshy, acidic, ± enclosing seed.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 10 species, E Malesia, New Caledonia, Australia. Australia: 8 species (endemic), Qld, N.S.W.
The acidic fruits of both N.S.W. species have been used for drinks and making jam. Both species are occasionally planted as ornamental or shade trees.
Text by G.J. Harden
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Leaves more than 30 cm long, hairy; capsules less than 3 cm diam., rusty-hairy; aril yellow-orange | Diploglottis australis |
| Leaves usually less than 30 cm long, glabrous; capsules more than 3 cm diam., more or less glabrous; aril red | Diploglottis campbellii |
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