Lianas high climbing, robust, glabrous. Rhizome sympodial, diffuse. Stems terete, solid, hard, apically usually equally branched; axillary buds absent. Leaves distichous, circinate; leaf sheath tubular, closed, connected with leaf blade by a short pseudopetiole; leaf blade grasslike, stomata paracytic, apex extended into tendril; tendril simple, involutely coiled, abaxially flattened, hard. Inflorescences terminal, paniculate. Flowers bisexual or rarely unisexual, sessile, actinomorphic, 3-merous, small; perianth segments 6, in 2 whorls, free, whitish, petaloid, membranous, persistent, 3 inner ones largest. Stamens 6, in 2 whorls, exserted; filaments filiform; anthers basifixed, linear-oblong to linear, sagittate, 2-loculed, latrorse, dehiscing by longitudinal slits; pollen grains ulcerate and similar to those of grasses. Ovary superior, obtusely 3-angled, 3-loculed; ovule 1 per locule; placentation axile. Style very short; stigmas 3, linear-clavate. Fruit drupaceous with 1(or 2) seeds. Seeds globose or ± flattened; endosperm copious, starchy; embryo minute.

Wu Kuo-fang. 1997. Flagellariaceae. In: Wu Kuo-fang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 13(3): 2--4.

One genus and about four species: tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands; one species in China.

(Authors: Wu Guofang (吴国芳 Wu Kuo-fang); Kai Larsen)