Fls of two types, petaliferous and apetalous; hypanthium saucer- shaped; sep 5 or 6, without bractlets; pet 5, white, elliptic; stamens numerous, with long slender filaments; pistils 5-10; ovaries villous; ovules 2; style terminal, slender, elongate; fr a dry, achene-like, 1-seeded drupe; perennial herbs with slender creeping stems, simple cordate lvs, and solitary, white, long-peduncled fls. Monospecific.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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