Family: Boraginaceae

Classification: Unplaced Euasterid I

Habit: Herbs, shrubs, trees, or sometimes lianas.

Branch: Stems often terminating in two leaves and a third branch giving the branches and the plants a trifid appearance, especially in trees.

Leaves: Leaves simple, alternate; petioles in one species swollen to form an ant domatia.

Inflorescence: Inflorescence a cyme or panicle, often helicoid or scorpiod cymes, or reduced to a globose head, or rarely of solitary flowers.

Flowers: Flowers usually bisexual, actinomorphic or slightly zygomorphic; sepals usually 4-6, usually 5; petals same number as sepals, free to fused below into short tube; stamens same number as sepals, adnate to corolla tube; nectary disk sometimes surrounding base of ovary; ovary superior, carpels 2, the style terminal or gynobasic; placentation axile.

Fruit: Fruit a capsule or drupe, the drupe dry or fleshy.

Seeds: Seeds 1-4 nutlets in capsular fruit or 2-4 in drupes.

Notes: Plants often with stiff, unicellular hairs.