Demissew, S. (1999) Tiliaceae in Flora of Somalia 2: 5-20
Plants trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple; stipules entire, digitate or bifid, peristent or caducous; blades eliptic, oblong, ovate, obovate, or orbicular, with entire to crentate or serrate margins, 3-5-veined at the base. Flowers solitary or in axillary, extraxillary, leaf-opposed, or terminal cymes. Flowers (4-)5-merous; sepals hairy externally, glabrous and similar in colour to the petals on the inside, hooded at the tip; petals shorter than the sels, often wtih a nectar-producing claw, yellow, white, lilac, purple, or pink; stamens many, arising from a raised receptacle or an androgynophore; ovaries simple, 1-4-celled, each cell with 2-many ovules; styles simple, stigmas capitate, lobed, or laciniate. Fruits simple or a 2-4-lobed drupe with 1-4-stones, each containing 1-several seeds; seeds brownish, covered with a smooth, light purplish seed coat.
Grewia includes about 150 species which are native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia. The bark of several species is used as string and the fruits of most species are edible.
All members of the Tiliaceae, including Grewia, are now included in Malvaceae.