[For William Clifton, vital dates unknown, first attorney general of Georgia (1754-1764), later Chief Justice of West Florida]

Shrubs or trees, evergreen, often much-branched from base. Leaves: petiole present or absent; blade with prominent midrib and nearly imperceptible lateral veins on both surfaces. Inflorescences produced at distal ends of branchlets of previous season, developing before shoot growth of current season begins, 2-6 cm; bract caducous. Pedicels: bracteoles caducous, 2. Flowers: sepals broadly deltate to oblong, apex obtuse to rounded; petals spatulate to obovate, base weakly clawed, apex rounded; stamens 10, in 2 whorls of 5, outer whorl antisepalous; filaments basally flattened and petaloid; ovary 3-5-locular; ovules 1 per locule; stigma 3-5-lobed. Fruits samaralike, 2-5-winged, broadly ellipsoid. Seeds usually absent, sometimes 1-5.

Species 1: se United States.

Lower Taxon

• Cliftonia monophylla (Lamarck) Britton ex Sargent