PLANTS: Shrubs or small trees. LEAVES: opposite or ternate. FLOWERS: densely aggregated into spherical pedunculate heads; calyx 4-toothed; corolla narrowly funnelform, slender, the limb 4-cleft; style filiform, much exserted, the stigma capitate; ovary and fruit obpyramidal. FRUIT: dry and hard, splitting from the base at maturity into 2-4 l-seeded achene-like portions. NOTES: Ca. 17 spp. warm and temperate portions of Asia, Amer., and s Afr. (Greek: kephale = head + anthos = flower). REFERENCES: Dempster, Lauramay T. 1995. Rubiaceae. J. Ariz. – Nev. Sci. 29(l): 29.