Sabiaceae
A small but well-defined natural order of glabrous or pilose trees or shrubs, inhabiting tropical and sub-tropical regions, mostly of the Northern hemisphere. Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamo-dioecious, small or minute, rarely rather large, variably disposed, usually panicled; calyx four or five-parted, imbricated; petals four or five, equal or unequal, alternate with or opposite the sepals, imbricated; disk small, annular, lobed, rarely tumid; stamens four or five, inserted at the base or on the top of the disk opposite the petals, usually two perfect and three antherless. Fruit consisting of one or two dry or drupaceous, indehiscent carpels; endocarp crustaceous or bony, one-seeded. Leaves alternate, exstipulate, simple or pinnate, entire or serrated, penninerved. The wood of the Indian Meliosma is of excellent quality, and is in great demand for house-building. Sabiaceae comprises four genera--Meliosma, Ophiocaryon, Phexanthus, and Sabia--and about thirty-two species.