Herbaceous branched annual 0.3-1m high, with a mass of fine fiberous adventitious roots and swollen stem tubers.  Leaves pinnate with small interjected leaflets between the main pinnae; flowers white, red or purple; fruit a small inedible berry.

Anthers 1.7 mm or more in length; dull black or green mature fruit; calyx adhering to fruit; fruiting pedicels noticably deflexed; plants of highlands.

Herb, up to 1 m high; young stems pilose.  Leaves in pairs or solitary, of different sizes but similar appearance, entire or sinuate-dentate, ovate to ovate-lanceolate; apex acuminate, base attenuate.  Inflorescences internodal, racemose or subumbellate; corolla white or lilac, with a dark spot at the base of each lobe.  Fruit globose, 4-7 mm in diameter.

Anthers up to 1.7 mm in length; shiny black fruit; calyx conspicuously reflexed in fruit; fruiting pedicels more or less erect; plants of lowlands and highlands.

Herb 60-80 cm high. Stems smooth but sometimes with soft prickles.  Leaves alternate, ovate,14 x 7 cm, blade narrowed to the stalk, apex acute or acuminate, margins sinuate, dentate; inflorescence racemes, umbelliform; corolla white 5-9 mm in diameter; fruit a globose shiny, black, berry, 5-7 mm in diameter; seeds 1-1.5 mm wide.

Small or medium-sized tree,6-30 m high, glabrous.  Leaves alternate, compound; leaflets 8-15 subcoriaceous, oblong, round at the apex, cuneate at the base, green on the upper side, pale or glaucous on the underside.  Panicles very ramified; flowers numerous, whitish, densely clustered on branches.  Drupe oval to oblong-oval, bright red, black when ripe, with thin white pulp.