Cuccuini, P. (1993) Ochnaceae in Flora of Somalia 1: 241-243
Plants trees, shrubs, or sometimes herbs, usually glabrous. Leaves alternate, with stipules; blades simple, usually densely pinnately veined, margins usually ciliate to serrulate, sometimes entire. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, paniculate or clustered cymes, or in racemes, or of solitary flowers. Flowers bisexual, usually radially symmetric; sepals (3-)5(-10), imbricate, usually free, often enlarging in fruit; petals (4-)5(-12), free, soon falling; stamens 1-many, free, inserted on the receptacle; filaments persistent; anthers basifixed, extrorse, dehiscent by longitudinal slits or apical pores, usually soon falling; ovaries superior, either with 2-5 parietal placentae with 1-many ovules in 2 rows and an apical style, or with (3)5(-15) lobes, each with 1 ovule and a gynobasic style; styles as many as the placenas, completely united or free at the top. Fruits clusters of 1-seeded drupes on swolllen receptacles, berries, or septicial capsules; seeds without arils, with or without endosperm.
The family Ochnaceae includes about 33 genera and 650 species. It is a tropical family, one that is particulrly well represented in the Americas.
Only one genus, Ochna, is present in Somaliland and Somalia.