Two genera, Chlorocardium and Paraia, are described, illustrated, and discussed. Chlorocardium includes two species previously placed in Ocotea and is known from Guyana and Surinam (C. rodiei), and Ecuador (C. venenosum). Paraia includes one species, P. bracteata, from the States of Pará and Amazonas, Brazil. Problems with generic placement of several other species are discussed. The usefulness of two-celled vs. four-celled stamens as a character to define genera is discussed, and examples of polyphyletic genera based solely on the two-celled condition are given.