Pl. Vasc. Gen. Comment.: 198 (1840); Reichenbach, Consp. Reg. Veg.: 117 (1828); De Candolle, Prodr. 13: 478 (1852).

Trees or shrubs, often multi-stemmed; glabrous or with an indument of simple hairs. Leaves alternate, or clustered near the apices of short lateral branches, the margin entire, sometimes revolute, the venation pinnate, brochididromous, petiolate, the petioles generally adaxially canaliculate.

Inflorescences terminal, cymose to paniculate, occasionally nearly racemose or reduced to 1-3 flowers. Flowers bisexual, or possible unisexual and the plants dioecious in H. capuronii and H. lyciacea; calyx 5-lobed, valvate in bud, pubescent inside; corolla white, urceolate with 5 spreading to reflexed lobes, these much shorter than the tube; stamens 5, included or slightly exserted, the filaments glabrous or pubescent at the point of insertion the anthers oblong to ellipsoid; ovary ovoid, 4-locular, the style 1, terminal, bifid, the stigmas 2, clavate to capitate.

Fruits drupaceous, ovoid to nearly spherical, the exocarp thin to leathery, mesocarp usually sparse, fleshy, the endocarp separating into 4, 1- seeded pyrenes, these winged or ridged on the exterior surface.

TYPE. — Hilsenbergia ehretia Tausch ex Meisn.

The genus Hilsenbergia consists of 18 species from east Africa, Madagascar, the Comores, and the Mascarenes.