There are about 140 species of Mallotus, ranging from tropical Africa through Asia to the Pacific (Govaerts et al. 2000). They are dioecious (rarely monoecious) trees, shrubs or rarely scramblers. The leaves are alternate or opposite, petiolate, sometimes peltate, simple or lobed, entire or with dentate margins; stipules usually small. The inflorescences are terminal, subterminal or axillary; unisexual, with one to many flowers in spicate, racemose, paniculate or thyrsiform arrangements, and with small bracts. The male flowers are pedicellate; the calyx valvate, in (two to) three to four (to five) parts; the corolla absent; stamens 20–200(–250), with free filaments. The female flowers are pedicellate; the calyx 3–5(–10)-lobed, the lobes imbricate or valvate, persistent or caducous; corolla absent; the ovary smooth to spiny. The fruit is globose or (two to) three (to four)-sided, with a smooth, spiny, scaly or tomentose coat, and dehiscent (Radcliffe-Smith 2001).