in botany: A genus of the polyandria order belonging to the monadelphia class of plants. The calyx is a quadrangular, quadrid, turbinated perianthium; the corolla consists of four elliptical petals; the stamens are 20 filiform filaments, almost the length of the calyx; the antherae small and roundish; the pericarpium an hemispherical, unilocular berry, with many striae on its upper part; the seeds numerous and roundish.