Description: Woody climbers with twining stems, often tall, with milky latex.
Leaves opposite or in whorls of 3, petiole thick, <8 mm long.
Flowers in short terminal or axillary cymes, sometimes reduced to 1 or 2 flowers. Calyx shortly tubular, lobed. Corolla tube cylindrical, with or without a ring of scales (corona) at the throat; lobes contorted in bud. Stamens enclosed in the tube, free from stigma and not fused, anthers fertile to base. Carpels fused, ovary 1- or 2-locular, ovules numerous on 2 parietal or axile placentas; style single, short, the style head peltate and with a slender 2-fid apex.
Fruit an ovoid, ellipsoid or globose berry; seeds few to many, without hairs, embedded in pulp.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 50 spp., SE Asia to Aust. & SW Pac. Aust.: 7 spp. (endemic), Qld, N.S.W.
Text by G. J. Harden & J. B. Williams
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Leaves with lamina finely and softly pubescent on lower surface; branchlets pubescent; corolla tube hairy inside; berry globose | Melodinus acutiflorus |
| Leaves and branchlets glabrous; corolla tube glabrous inside; berry mostly ovoid or ellipsoid | Melodinus australis |
|
