Shrubs or trees, resin canals absent. Stems erect, much-branched; young branches lepidote, hairs irregularly branched, thick-walled. Leaves alternate, sometimes pseudoverticillate; blade oblong-obovate to spatulate, base attenuate, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded or retuse, mucronate or mucro absent, surfaces glabrous, punctate. Inflorescences terminal [axillary] racemes, 4-30(-40)-flowered, pedunculate. Pedicels present, bracteate. Flowers: sepals distinct; corolla white or cream, darkening to yellow with age, salverform or short-campanulate, lobes shorter to longer than tube, apex rounded to acute; stamens borne at base of corolla tube; filaments distinct; anthers at first aggregated around stigma and style, later spreading; staminodes borne at apex of corolla tube, petaloid; stigma capitate, lobed. Berries orange-red or red, ovoid or globose, apex apiculate. Seeds 2-8, brown or light brown, oblong to elliptic, subglobose, alveolate, completely covered by placental tissue. x = 18.
Bonellia, with a total of 22 species, was until recently included in Jacquinia. We follow B. Ståhl and M. Källersjö (2004) in treating them separately here.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [MG-70-19-0057-19].